Road Cycling Route Source Region Rhine

You start rolling from Chur and discover the gentle hills of the Domleschg fruit and castle region on side roads. The route leads through the natural monument Viamala Gorge, and from here it steadily climbs through the Hinterrhein valley. At the Roffla Gorge the valley narrows before you finally reach Splügen, the oldest mountain pass village in Graubünden. Shortly thereafter, the San Bernardino Pass beckons, a classic of Alpine railway history. The numerous hairpin bends to the summit will make every road cycling enthusiast's heart beat faster. Once at the top, a short break is more than deserved. But soon the fast descent southwards, down into the Misox region, beckons. During the 44-kilometer descent, the landscape—once high alpine, then suddenly Mediterranean—will surprise and delight you.

Shortly after Roveredo, you cross the canton border from Graubünden into Ticino. Until Biasca, the terrain rises only gently. Now awaits the Lukmanier Pass, a real treat that has not yet quite reached the top of the road cycling Olympus. The ascent leads through the Valle di Blenio to Olivone, where you turn into the Valle Santa Maria. At the Ospizio del Lucomagno, you not only find the pass sign but also re-enter the canton of Graubünden. The descent takes you through the Val Medel to Disentis. The ride continues along the Vorderrhein through the Surselva. A detour over the Obersaxen high plateau, which captivates with countless hidden small roads, brings you to Ilanz, the first town on the Rhine. From here, a spectacular road through the Ruinaulta—the Rhine Gorge, also called the “Little Swiss Canyon” with its 300-meter-high rock faces and formations—takes you back to Chur.

Tip: Would you like to free your back on this multi-day tour? Then book the luggage transport from hotel to hotel – convenient and easy.

Stages

Stage 1: Chur – Splügen

Stage 2: Splügen – Biasca

Stage 3: Biasca – Disentis

Stage 4: Disentis – Ilanz

Stage 5: Ilanz – Chur