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The course has become a classic season-starter event for amateur cyclists. The more audacious can measure themselves up against a 165 kilometre long distance run, in no way easy and with four hills to face up to.
But it needn’t necessarily be undertaken in the spirit of competitive sport: you can also plan various pauses. In any case, arriving at the end will be a great satisfaction.
First breakaways at Monte Finocchio
Leaving Cervia you take road 254 which borders the salt-pans and head inland over the plain, passing by Pisignano, Cannuzzo, Matellica and Mensa. At Santa Maria Nuova you turn towards Cesena, arriving at the localities of San Vittore and Borello. At Borello, having done about forty kilometres, you start to feel the air of a real climb. And in the middle of Forlì territory, by way of Linaro and Ranchio, you start climbing to the Musella Pass, better known as Monte Finocchio. Nothing terrible but the ascent to arrive at the 644 metres of the pass is continuous and pretty long. And it’s only the first, so conserve your strength well.
Plautus’s Sarsina
There is a very difficult seven-kilometre plunge down to Sarsina where Titus Maccius Plautus was born (250 BC), the greatest Latin dramatist. From Sarsina the descent proceeds, though less steeply, to Mercato Saraceno. |
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Tough approach to Montevecchio
Having crossed Ponte Giorgi, with about 80 kilometres behind you, the second hardship of the day begins, the stretch leading to Montevecchio. The first kilometres are terrible with a 14-15% gradient, then the ascent gets more clement. Arriving at 324 metres of Montevecchio you turn off for Oriola and continue climbing to 400 metres.
The descent to San Carlo is fine and gratifying, and you’ve now done 100 kilometres. There are 65 to go with two fine hills still to tackle. The first, Monte Cavallo, you taste immediately passing through Borello. The gradient is up to 14% and at this point, with the two ascents already done on your legs it’s an effort to stay in the saddle. Fortunately the climb isn’t really one of those very long ones. From the summit you go down to Teodorano and Meldola, but there’s no respite. Right after Fratta Terme you start climbing towards Polenta.
Amidst the peace of Polenta
The last hardship of the day. If you want to avoid the toughest part you can make an immediate detour to Bertinoro, but if you want to destroy yourself thoroughly you’ve got long stretches at 17% ahead of you. A real wall. But it’s worthwhile: the whole territory, immersed in a proverbial tranquillity, exudes history and mystery. The church in Polenta – perhaps dating to the 10th century – is one of the oldest in the Forlì area and Carducci, who loved the peace of these places, dedicated famous verses to it. From Polenta you skirt Bertinoro and plunge down towards the sea, going back over the departure stretch and passing through Santa Maria Nuova, Cannuzzo, Pisignano to arrive at the Cervia Salt-Pans.
To take part in the Gran Fondo del Sale tel. 0544 974 395. |
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