Gravel races in Ticino

Gravel loves white roads, and Ticino is full of them, from the shores of Lake Maggiore to mountain tracks. Between chestnut-tree trails, valley tracks and the country lanes of the Magadino plain, a gravel race in Ticino always finds an alternative to the road 🚵.

The terrain mixes asphalt, gravel, farm tracks and forest trails, often within a single ride. The Magadino plain offers long flat stretches, perfect for warming up the legs, while the Verzasca, Maggia or Blenio valleys offer steep climbs on dirt roads. The season runs from April to November, with hot summers that call for an early start 🌞. A wide tire and the right pressure already do half the work, the rest depends on your legs and the weather. The paths along the Ticino, the river that runs through the canton, offer quiet routes, far from traffic, with an open view of the surrounding mountains.

The canton does not yet have any gravel events on the Finishers calendar, so you need to look elsewhere in Switzerland. The gravel race calendar features the Cyclosportive Des Portes du Soleil in Champéry, in Valais, in June. In July, UCI The Majestics takes place in Villars, in the canton of Vaud 🏔️. The gravel races in Switzerland and the cyclosportives in Ticino round out the selection.

The Verzasca dam, made famous by a bungee jumping scene in a James Bond film, is a reminder that Ticino knows how to offer spectacular scenery 💦. Cyclists obviously prefer to stay on their wheels, and enjoy the emerald waters from a bridge 😄. Everyone will find their race according to their level and their desire for escape, from a ride with friends to a more demanding event.