Despite having cycled in the area and asking locals, I couldn’t understand why a dozen climbs in the Langhe between the provinces of Asti and Cuneo were named after cycling champions. It could have been the Unione Montana Alta Langa’s initiative to spice up the hazelnut bike festival, but the origin of these ‘climbs of champions’ remains unclear. This Tour links these mysterious ascents and is a must to discover this Italian region by bike.
The climbs have been assigned names such as Coppi, Bugno, Koblet, and Gaul, despite being unrelated to the history of the mentioned champions and likely unexplored by them.

The itinerary I propose in this Collection connects all the climbs in under 200 kilometres (124 mi). With significant elevation gain, you’ll explore the best ascents and the captivating landscapes of the lesser-known Langhe. Beyond the famous wine-producing municipalities like Barolo, La Morra, and Monforte d'Alba, the route forms a crescent with the village of Canelli at its centre, bordered by the eastern Bormida di Millesimo.

These remote places are spectacular. Being difficult to reach, they’ve remained wild and authentic, far from the mass tourism phenomenon that affects other parts of Piedmont. Despite this, you can find country B&Bs in the most remote places and taverns in the smallest villages.

The entire route takes place on asphalt roads, which are often poorly maintained. I’d recommend not pumping too much air in your tyres and bringing a repair kit with you. As can be seen from the elevation gain, it’s not a two-day ride suitable for those who have just started cycling: you need a certain fitness, experience of being in the saddle for five or six days and the ability to ascend one climb after the next. Your bike's gears must be light enough to allow you to climb slopes of almost 20%: a large rear chainring with a ratio of 1:1 or higher is best. You can undertake this journey in all seasons except in the hottest months (you’ll sweat a lot uphill) and in the coldest ones, as the altitude and the freezing descents become a significant factor in winter.

Part of this route follows two-thirds of the Gran Fondo Alta Langa, an amateur competition that last took place in 2019. This route, however, allows you to do all ten of the champions' climbs, and some other ascents not officially titled but still not to be underestimated. The official start of the track is in Bossolasco, but you can take advantage of the complete track to change the departure and arrival as you prefer. As I mentioned, they’re rather remote areas and no municipality on the route is served by railways or motorways. You could use the Alba station and then the Granda Bus line 120 to Bossolasco, or reach the latter by car.

All you have to do is lace up your boots, get ready to taste some of the best wines and dishes in Piedmont and set off!