Start from Castellania Coppi, at the Coppi Mausoleum in Piazza Candido Cannavò (named for a long-standing journalist and editor of La Gazzetta dello Sport, a great fan of Fausto Coppi). There has been a celebration of the Campionissimo’s life here every year on the anniversary of his death, 2 January, since 1960. Set off downhill towards Costa Vescovado. The Medium route involves a total of 12.5 km on track, divided into three distinct sections. Pass through Cerreto Grue, where an easy climb leads to the charming hill of Sarezzano, before coming down to Viguzzolo. Take Strada Zebedeo to reach Volpedo, birthplace of Giuseppe Pellizza (Volpedo 28/7/1868 – Volpedo 14/6/1907), divisionist painter and painter of the famous work ‘The Fourth Estate’, which came to symbolise the world of labour and political, social and workers’ struggles.
On all three routes of the 100th-anniversary Mitica, the first refreshment stop is in the village of the renowned painter. For those who are doing the Ciclostorica route as tourists, on the other hand, it’s an opportunity to stop and visit the Pellizza da Volpedo museums (Painter’s Studio - Via Rosario 1/a, Multimedia Educational Museum, Piazza Quarto Stato) and the Romanesque church of San Pietro. If you’re in Volpedo on the first weekend of June, when there’s the strawberry festival, you can enjoy the food and wine stands and the chance to taste strawberry-based desserts with musical accompaniment in the Parco Malaspina Penati park.
Set off on the SP 97 onto quiet, even but lightly descending roads to Castellar Guidobono and then enter Tortona, around the halfway point on the Medium route.
The Associazione Storica Pro Julia Dertona organises the 'Assaggia Tortona e dintorni' ('Taste Tortona and its surroundings') food and wine fair and market here at the end of May. It’s set up along Via Emilia in the historic town centre, with many local companies providing tastings and selling first-rate local products. Among these are Tortona strawberries (Slow Food presidium), Montebore cheese with its curious cake shape (Slow Food presidium) and Nobile del Giarolo salami from Val Curone, as well as the delicious baci di dama di Tortona biscuits and the refined Colli Tortonesi (Tortona hills) wines.
Set off again, crossing the river Scrivia in the direction of Bettole di Tortona then Bettole di Pozzolo Formigaro. The 'Cima alla Genovese' festival, dedicated to a stuffed veal dish, is held here at the end of June. The Medium route diverges from the Long one at this point: head along Viale di Rivalta, pass the Settimo Cielo farm stay and go onto the SP 151, leading to Villavernia via the bridge over the Scrivia and bringing the route back onto the longer one. Carry on via Carbonara Scrivia, with its Donjon (tower castle) standing out, then the village of Villaromagnano. The local Proloco office organises a traditional ragù Lasagnata (lasagne get-together) here for the first Sunday of May, and there is also a vegan ragù option.
From Rampina, a hamlet near Villaromagnano, climb to Costa Vescovado. The last climb from here leads to the end of the race, in Castellania, arriving in front of the house where Fausto and Serse Coppi were born. Today it’s a house and museum and demands a visit.