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Great success for the first edition of the Vesuvio Gravel, which was held on June 1st starting from Naples. First event for gravel bikes and Vesuvius could only be chosen as the first event. The Vesuvio Gravel is a non-competitive cycling event, which is part of the ARI national Gran Gravel circuit, the southernmost stage of Italy on the 2024 calendar.
It took place over a route of over 100 km on secondary roads, paths and single track for more than half of the itinerary. There was no shortage of climbs, which when added together led to a difference in altitude greater than the summit of Vesuvius (around 1800 D+). The participants from different regions of Italy, Calabria, Basilicata, Emila, Lazio, almost the majority chose to tackle the route with gravel bikes, although there was no shortage of mountain bikes and even one participant with vintage bikes. The versatile gravel bikes offered speed when needed and robustness when the road became dirt, allowing you to look at an unbeaten road and let yourself be guided by curiosity.
The Vesuvio Gravel started from the headquarters in Naples Pedala in Mostra d’Oltremare with a first dive towards the center of the city through unusual and secret streets, passing from the majesty of the monuments, to the intimacy of the alleys, places of community, all in a blender of emotions, sounds, colors, noises, smells, to the point of losing every point of reference, not only to the participants who came from outside the region, but also to many Neapolitans who found themselves discovering unexpected corners of their own city.
After having traveled along the road of the Golden Mile and the splendid Vesuvian villas, the climb began behind the town of Torre del Greco between dirt single tracks and then arriving at the path of the Matrone road up to the summit at around 900 meters above sea level, skirting stone rivers and the signs of Vesuvian lava flows. At the entrance to the Vesuvius National Park path, the volunteers of the Wesuvio association and the Vesuvius Ciclovia offered the first response to the participants. To make the ascent to the volcano more epic, the entry into clouds and a drizzle, which made the Vesuvian sand even blacker, enhanced by the green of the pines and the yellow of the broom flowers. From the open sea of legality, the descent began on the magnificent hairpin bends of the volcanic sand, where it seemed like floating, with the bike deciding its wake.
Once they arrived in Ottaviano near the Medici Castle, a well-deserved refreshment based on escarole pizza from the ancient Sdino Starace delicatessen welcomed the participants. From here the journey continued among the fertile lands on the slopes of Monte Somma. Panoramic return to Naples, first crossing the Capodimonte Forest and then on the Posillipo hill.
The aperitif at sunset is the place to talk about your business and your efforts. Music and cold beer will do the rest.
Vesuvio Gravel is the preview of a real cycle trip, 350 km long which will take place in several stages scheduled for 2025, which will push into the most internal areas of the region, enhancing dirt roads, woods and paths.
The objective is to build a path network that can be used by bike, which aims to transform, as has happened in many other experiences, unpaved roads or roads on which it would be prohibitive to carry out maintenance into roads with zero vehicular traffic.
The Vesuvio Gravel is one of the events of the Napoli Bike Festival 2024 which will see the Napoli Obliqua on 27 October with mountain bike enthusiasts immediately after the summer.
It is an event promoted by the Napoli Pedala Association, is one of the sporting events supported by the ARUS Campania Region, enjoys the support of the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Italy, INAIL Campania and the patronage of the Campania Region, the Municipality of Naples, is part of AMODO’s Sweet Mobility Spring.
© Copyright editorial staff, all rights reserved. Written for: TerranostraNews
