The Italian province of Trentino borders South Tyrol to the south. It extends on both sides of the Adige Valley, in the west across the Brenta Group and in the east to the Marmolada and the Fiemme Valley Alps. In the south, Trentino borders the northern end of Lake Garda. The capital of the province is Trento in the Adige Valley, the third largest city in the Alps with around 120,000 inhabitants. The touring region is centred on the south-eastern part of Trentino, around the Valsugana. This large, deeply incised valley runs in a west-east direction from Trento to Bassano del Grappa. The tours therefore also cross over into neighbouring Veneto; the starting point is the town of Levico Terme, around 20 kilometres east of Trento. Two lakes, Lago di Levico and Lago di Caldonazzo, offer the opportunity to cool off after the tours.
Trento lies at an altitude of just 200 metres, Levico at around 500 metres. As a result, the deep valley floors of the Adige and Brenta (Valsugana) and the up to 2,000 metre high passes result in impressive differences in altitude, for example on the south side of the Passo Manghen. On the other hand, cyclists will also find beautiful routes in the valleys where they can easily roll in. Given the gradients, this is advisable for everyone. The world wars have left their mark on the road network in Trentino. Countless former supply routes criss-cross the mountains, barely wider than dirt tracks, including several insider tips for pass collectors. However, the quality of the tarmac and the signposting are sometimes adventurous. Tip: Fit 25, better 28 millimetre wide tyres! A mountain transfer gear with a rescue sprocket is obligatory.
