Stelvio Bike Day 2014

jpf51

Hi All,

I'm heading over to Italy this weekend for Stelvio Bike Day on Saturday. I'll be there a day early and wondered if anyone has recently cycled the Stelvio pass when it's open to traffic? I might try and do it twice on consecutive days if the traffic isn't a complete nightmare on Friday.

Thanks,

James

rodgers73

I did it in 2012 and found the traffic to be no problem. This was at the end of July.

Good luck - its a great climb!

drlodge

Mates of mine have just done it yesterday and a couple of weeks ago too (lucky buggers). No problem with traffic as far as I'm aware.

jpf51

Thanks for the info. It could well be a once in lifetime event for me so out to make the most of it and the weather forecast is looking better for the Friday.

knedlicky

I’ve ridden the Stelvio 3 times in a July (different years) and also driven it once about this weekend now (yet another year), and never found the traffic a problem.

I hope your weather is good, as you think it will be, because it's not always without problems thereabouts, even in summer.
One July, although warm and sunny down below in the valley, it was only 1-2 degrees above freezing at the top.
And the time in August in the car, a freak heavy snowfall overnight led to the road between Trafoi and Franzenshöhe being blocked the next afternoon for 3 hours, until the local council came out and made a passageway through. During the night, about 2 ft of snow had fallen, but the road was kept clear. By morning it had stopped snowing, however, as the day warmed up, so early afternoon, a patch of snow about 60 ft square off to the side slid avalanche-style onto the road, where it made a barrier about 7-8 ft high.

robbo2011

Bear in mind the weather is dreadful over here this year so be prepared for temperatures hovering around freezing at the top and make sure you have winter gloves and a windproof shell for the descent.

jpf51

Hi All,

Thanks again for the advice. I did it on both Friday and Saturday. Friday was in glorious sunshine and traffic was not problem as mentioned above....a lot of mutual respect show between all modes of transport which was good to see.

Saturday did turn out to be a cold wet day as forecast but the weather didn't seem to dampen anyone's enthusiasm with thousands of bikes of all types on the pass.

To sum up it was an awesome place and experience having never cycled outside the UK. This was likely to be a once in a lifetime trip.
I am now out to persuade my other half that once in a lifetime is not enough!!!