The Granfondo Dolci Terre di Novi is held on the second Sunday of every April in Novi Ligure. This classic race is organised by Overall Cycling Team in Novi Ligure (http://www.teamoverall.it) in collaboration with ASD Costante Girardengo in Cassano Spinola.
The race is designed for cyclists signed up to clubs and begins in Novi Ligure, town of champions. It is the opening event of the Coppa Piemonte for amateur cyclists. You can follow the route of the Granfondo Dolci Terre di Novi on your own throughout the year, and discover the beauties of these landscapes in the process. Go from the hills around Gavi in Monferrato to the higher slopes of the Borbera valley, where you'll find Colle delle Forche (San Martino), the highest point on the route at 743 m.
Just like the Granfondo, the route starts in the big car park in Piazza Stefano Pernigotti in Novi Ligure. Go along Corso Romualdo Marenco, then Corso Piave, Via Urbano Rattazzi, Via Pietro Mascagni and the SP 56 until Pasturana. Go through a series of Monferrato villages – Pasturana, Basaluzzo, Francavilla Bisio, San Cristoforo, Castelletto d’Orba and Mornese – with their castles. Carry on through Monferrato, passing the villages of Cadegualchi, Parodi Ligure and Cadepiaggio before arriving in Gavi. The route carries on to Libarna di Serravalle Scrivia and Arquata Scrivia, where it crosses the river Scrivia. In the 6 km between Varinella and Grondona, you'll come across some challenging stretches, which are a warm-up for the climb up Colle delle Forche. With a length of 6.15 km and an average slope of 7.19%, this is the main uphill part of the Granfondo.
It gets hard straight away. The average slope over the first 1,500 m is 8.1%, with two long stretches of 10.2% separated by a part that feels flat but is not. After this the climb becomes more regular for a long stretch, before the challenging last 1,500 m, with two stretches of over 9%. After a total climb of 442 m is a descent of 743 m. It's worth a stop here, perhaps to see the Church of San Martino on the ridge on the left of the pass.
Now go up just 800 m to San Martino, where the road climbs again but not challengingly. When you spot the Church of San Giorgio, begin the descent to Roccaforte and follow the river Sisola for 5 km, taking care as you do so. Cross the bridge over the Sisola and carry on along a road that feels flat but is actually downhill to Rocchetta Ligure. Here the route enters the Borbera valley.
You're now 45 km from the end and the uphill is over. Head towards the Strette di Pertuso, a very deep gorge carved out by the river Borbera that presents a breathtaking view. The gorge ends at Persi. Carry on to Borghetto Borbera and Vignole Borbera then begin the homeward stretch, stopping at Stazzano, Cassano Spinola and Villalvernia. From here it's just a dozen kilometres to Novi Ligure, where you'll find Museo dei Campionissimi, the museum of Costante Girardengo and Fausto Coppi, on Viale dei Campionissimi.