Altare→Finale Ligure

Description of the route

The last semi-stage concentrates the most theatrical passage of the Strade di Aleramo in 25.9 kilometres. From Altare you go up to Colle del Melogno and then down to Finale Ligure, overcoming 561 meters of positive difference in altitude and almost a thousand meters of descent. The distance is small, but it shouldn't be misleading: the variety of terrain and the strong change in altitude make this day different from all the previous ones.

The first part points towards the ridge. From the surroundings of Altare the road gains altitude up to Melogno, which at around 953 meters represents the highest point of the semi-stage. Woods, cooler air and a mountain environment definitively replace the vineyards of Monferrato. The climb must be tackled without haste, conserving energy and attention for the long descent; the pass is also the moment in which the sea, still far from sight in some passages, becomes the inevitable direction of the journey.

After the hill, the route alternates between road, dirt road, paths and long naturalistic passages. It is the section that requires the most care in choosing the bicycle and riding it: helmet, gloves, puncture kit and offline GPX are essential, as is a preventive check of the weather. On wet surfaces the descent can become delicate; it is best to reduce your speed and take breaks to observe the progressive opening of the Ligurian hinterland towards the coast.

Finale Ligure arrives almost at sea level and ends the journey with a stark contrast compared to the departure from Casale Monferrato. In six days the route crossed rolling hills, plains, spa villages, river valleys and the Apennines, ideally following the ride that legend attributes to Aleramo. The arrival of the Marquises of Finale in the territory completes the historical link evoked along the route. It's time to look back at the entire itinerary: over two hundred kilometers through two regions, experienced with the time necessary to transform each stop into a place worth knowing.