The Cancano climb by road bike
The ascent of Cancano, to the Torri di Fraele (1,964 m a.s.l.), is well known by those who use mountain bikes, but for some years - having been completely paved - it has become a destination for many cyclists on racing bicycles.
It also became famous thanks to the arrival of the women's Giro d'Italia in 2011 and the men's Giro d'Italia in 2020.
It is about 9 km long with a very regular slope.
Cancano is a plateau located at an altitude of almost 2000 m above sea level, nestled in the mountains between Bormio, Livigno and Switzerland. There are two large artificial lakes, used to feed the nearby Premadio hydroelectric plant.
All around the lakes (Cancano II and S. Giacomo) there is a dirt road, very often used by cyclists on mountain bikes. A simple track, but of undoubted beauty.
The ascent to the Torri di Fraele, starting from Bormio (1,225 m asl) has the first section - up to Fior d'Alpe, which follows state road 301 for Foscagno - very simple with gentle slopes.
Then the real climb begins, with a series of hairpin bends you gain altitude and the panorama opens up over Valdidentro. You go along a long and regular traverse up to a picnic area, where the slope becomes less steep. From that position you have a splendid view of the Torri di Fraele - a defensive military outpost in the Bormio area.
The last stretch develops entirely in hairpin bends, until you reach two small tunnels that lead to the base of the towers.
The average gradient of the climb is 6.9%, the maximum gradient is 8.5% for a total height difference of almost 650 m.
Map, details and gps file of the ascent to Cancano from Bormio