The 5^th

Torino-Nice Rally

I have followed the Torino-Nice Rally since it was held for the first time in 2015. However, I didn’t feel ready to take part myself. But in 2021 I dared – and I’m happy I did.

Words and photos by Markus Remscheid
Illustrations by Johannes Reinhart and Markus Remscheid

The dirty chainring and chain of my gravel bike

Me cycling downhill from Colle de Turini

The Torino-Nice Rally is a 700 km self-supported bikepacking ride from Turin to Nice via the high altitude roads and stradas of the French-Italian border. The challenging route with more than 17,000 m of climbing, rewards with photogenic views each day. The following collection of photos wants to highlight the best of those views.

Day 1

Torino to San Giorio di Susa

b 103 km a 1.720 m e 1.810 m j 2.093 m

Highlights of the day: Riding out of Turin with a group of 20 riders O The very steep sections at Colle del Colombardo (1.889 m)

My bike on the gravel road that leads up to Colle del Colombardo with mountains in the back

View of the gravel road that leads up to Colle del Colombardo

Wet gravel road on the downhill of Colle del Colombardo with mountain panorama and clouds in the back

Wet gravel road of Colle del Colombardo with mountain panorama and clouds in the back

The cows are enjoying the view from the top of Colle del Colombardo

Day 2

San Giorio di Susa to Rifugio Casa Assietta

b 44 km a 2.210 m e 310 m j 2.537 m

Highlights of the day: Colle delle Finestre (2.178 m) which gains 1.700 m height over 18 km O Strada dell’ Assietta an Italian military route over 120 years old

The windy gravel road leading up to Colle delle Finestre

Cyril Diabolo from evanoui.com climbing Colle delle Finestre

Cyclist taking a break and drinking water from bidon

Cyclist pedaling up to Col delle Finestre on gravel

A short stretch downhill on Strada dell’ Assietta

Two cyclist riding downhill on the Strada dell’ Assietta

Day 3

Rifugio Casa Assietta to Arvieux

b 87 km a 2.210 m e 3.130 m j 2.510 m

Highlights of the day: Strada dell’ Assietta in the morning light O Tunnel at the Col de Montgenèvre (1.860 m) O Col d’Izoard (2.360 m) in the evening light

A cyclist at the top of Strada dell’ Assietta looking over the clouds and the alpine mountain range

A sign for cyclist at the Strada dell’ Assietta

A cyclist on a windy downhill section of the Strada dell’ Assietta

Tunnel at the Col de Montgenèvre

View from inside the tunnel leading to Col de Montgenèvre

The Col d’Izoard has been part of the Tour de France many times

Landmark at the top of Col d’Izoard in the last light of the day

Moraine landscape on the descent from Col d'Izoard

Looking downhill from the top of Col d'Izoard in the evening light with alpine mountains in the back

Day 4

Arvieux to Colle Sampeyre

b 72 km a 2.390 m e 2.060 m j 2.744 m

Highlights of the day: Col Agnel (2.744 m) the high point of the route O Colle di Sampeyre in the dusk (2.284 m)

Col Agnel marks the boundary between France and Italy and thus one of the many border crossings on this ride

Boundary stone at Col Agnel that marks the border between France and Italy

The downhill section of Col Agnel in Italy

The dusty chainring and chain of my gravel bike

The artificial reservoir Lago di Castello in Italy

A flat spot on the way to Colle di Sampeyre made for a good place to pitch the tent

Looking down from Colle di Sampeyre after sunset with a refugio in sight

Day 5

Colle Sampeyre to Demonte

b 103 km a 2.300 m e 3.520 m j 2.520 m

Highlights of the day: The rough downhill sections of Strada Cannoni O Valle Maira O The one kilometer long and 15 % steep stretch at Colle del Preit O Strada Gardetta (“Little Peru”) a high-altitude section of military road

Although it was going downhill progress was slow on the stony Strada Cannoni

My gravel bike leaning on a stone wall at Strada Cannoni

A close up of a flower with a misty white background

The abandoned village Borgata Chesta (1 & 3) and San Damiano Macra (2) in the Valle Maira

Roofs of the abandoned village Borgata Chesta

A house an gravel road in the village Borgata Chesta

“

Of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few of them are dirt.

Portrait-Illustration von John Muir

John Muir
1838–1914

The Strada Gardetta (nicknamed “Little Peru”) is an old military road that offers a view of the mountains of the surrounding high valley. The landscape is one of the highlights of the entire tour

Surrounding mountains seen fromt the Strada Gardetta

Day 6

Demonte to Tende

b 85 km a 1.790 m e 1.690 m j 2.020 m

Highlights of the day: Col de Tende (1.870 m) O Tende, the largest town in the upper Roya Valley

Me on the bike looking to the mountain range in the background

Downhill to Tende, a charming town located in the upper Roya Valley

The town center of Tende with a red small car parking

Day 7

Tende to Sospel

b 72 km a 1.630 m e 1.830 m j 2.020 m

Highlights of the day: Roya Valley O The long climb up to Col de Turini (1.607 m)

The destruction caused by storm Alex in 2020 were still clearly visible in the Roya Valley

A construction site with an excavator in the Roya Valley

Getting to Col de Turini: the landscape has now become significantly more Mediterranean. But that also makes it much drier and there are no longer fountains on every corner

Cyclist filling his bottle at a fountain

A cyclist taking a picture of the moutain panorama

View from Col de Turini, the last big climb before the Côte d’Azur is reached

A cyclist takes a picture of the mountain panorama with his smartphone

A tree in the middle of a switchback road

Day 8

Sospel to Nice

b 77 km a 1.180 m e 1.640 m j 1.100 m

Highlights of the day: Col de Braus O Sainte-Agnès with a village center from the 11th century O Views of the Côte d’Azur O Nice

An alley with stairs in an old town in France

The big "I Love Nice" sign in Nice from behind

Graphical Map of the Torino-Nice-Rally Route with Highlights

Many thanks to the route designer James Olsen for creating such a memorable experience. The route is free for everyone to ride at any time and published on komoot.

More infos about the event: https://torino-nice.weebly.com