gran fondo the route 2018
2 available routes both with departure and finish line to Siena. The long route is the same of the Women élite race.
The short road is the same until to Murlo, where he takes the right with a dirt road sector and a descent to Monteroni d’Arbia.
The last kilometers are the same for both routes.
Gran Fondo 139.2 Km
31.4 km of gravel roads
The route is the same as the Women’s Élite’s. A twisty and undulating course, with no long climbs but with punchy hills, most significantly on the unpaved parts. There are roughly more than 30km of gravel roads, appearing in eight sectors (all shared with the Men’s course).
Starting from Siena (Stadium/Medicean Fortress area), the first undulating kilometres are on tarmac before reaching the 2.1km gravel Sector 1 at km 18, which is perfectly straight and always slightly downhill.
After few kilometres the riders will face Sector 2 (5.8km), first real challenge on the course with a short part on descent and a long climb with parts at over 10%.
The course will then go through Radi, where Sector 3 starts (4.4km, second part of the original Sector 1 of the first editions) and immediately after Sector 4 named “La Piana”, one of its classic gravel sectors (5.5km, featuring in the course since its first edition) with no significant gradient and leading to Buonconvento.
After the passage through Buonconvento the feed station will be positioned in the area of Ponte d’Arbia. Soon the route reaches Monteroni d’Arbia, which marks the beginning of Sector 5 of San Martino in Grania (9.5km) in the middle of the Crete Senesi. It’s a long sector with continuous up and downs in the first part, ending up with a twisting climb before meeting the tarmac again.
After Castelnuovo Berardenga there’s a very short, flat section of gravel (300m), before facing, after Monteaperti, Sector 6 which is only 800m long, but with a double digit gradient ramp before rejoining the tarmac in Vico d’Arbia and going to paved road through Pieve a Bozzone.
Next comes the penultimate sector (Sector 7, 2.4km) on the climb toward Colle Pinzuto (with inclination up to 15%). After a few kilometres the riders will face the last sector (Sector 8, 1.1km) which features a sequence of a demanding descent followed by a very punchy climb (max 18%) that ends up at the Tolfe. From here only 12km separate the riders from the finish in Piazza del Campo, Siena.
Medio Fondo 86.6 Km
21.6 km of gravel roads
LAST KILOMETERS
The demanding final kilometres, with gradients up to 16%, approach the city of Siena along broad, straight sections of road, connected by sweeping curves, first descending, and then climbing slightly. 2km from the finish line, the route joins Via Esterna di Fontebranda, where the gradient touches 9%.
900m from the finish line, the race route passes beneath Fontebranda Gate where the road surface becomes paving slabs. The gradient exceeds 10% until 500m from the finish line, reaching its highpoint of 16% in Via Santa Caterina. A sharp right hand turn leads to Via delle Terme, and then Via Banchi di Sotto. With 300m to go, the road continues to climb slightly then, 150m from the line, a right turn leads into Via Rinaldini. The route enters the Piazza del Campo just 70m from the finish line. The final 30m descends at a gradient of 7% and the finish line itself is flat.
