Start from the railway station in Asti, the town that puts on the Douja d'Or wine festival and a horse race (Palio) every year. The station is on the Turin–Genoa line and is right next to the historic centre of Asti and the large car park in Piazza del Palio. It can also be reached from the east side of the city by a cycle path. You will carry on along a route that runs between two UNESCO buffer zones in Monferrato Astigiano. Defended by its many fortresses and littered with countless castles, towers and fortified villages, Monferrato is a land of plenty that gives Piedmont some of its best wines, above all Barbera d'Asti and Asti Spumante.
From Asti station, take the cycle path to the east side of the city, until the end of Viale Pilone, turn left at the Palio roundabout and carry on in the direction of Casale Monferrato. Take the overpass over the bypass and go left along Località Valleversa, passing the little church of the Madonna di Caniglie. After about 2 km you will cross the SP 26. Carry on straight down Località Poggio and go left at the junction for San Vito. After 2 km of admiring the vineyards and hills of the landscape on your right, turn left along Regione Valle Versa. After 1.5 km, cross the SP 457 and turn left on the SP 52. After another 1.5 km, turn right onto the track that crosses Strada Perrona. Go straight on for 1 km through abundant countryside, immersing yourself completely in the greenery, and turn left towards a pond with a fence around it. Cross the disused railway and follow it, keeping it on your right-hand side. Keep pedalling for about 2 km, bending right slightly and crossing the railway again. From now on, you'll be keeping it on your left. Reach the disused station in Penango, where you can stop for a rest. Head off again, without crossing the railway, taking the road that runs just left of a little group of houses. After about 3 km you'll pass the Fassa Bortolo factory. Turn right and go down to Moncalvo. When you reach Piazza Carlo Alberto, go up to the balcony to enjoy a breathtaking panoramic view. Refreshed, you can now set off back up the road you took into Moncalvo, turning off these time onto the road to the hamlet of Gessi. You can take a rest in the panoramic spot of Penango, then get back on the route. Cross the SR 457 over the new bridge with its panoramic viewpoint in Calliano, between Valle Versa and Valle Grana. After 2.5 km, turn right for San Desiderio. At the bottom of the hill, take the road back to the San Vito junction for Asti.