{"id":9611,"date":"2026-08-27T11:33:13","date_gmt":"2026-08-27T11:33:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/velomag.eu\/conquering-the-stone-king-my-monviso-journey-by-bike\/"},"modified":"2026-08-27T11:33:13","modified_gmt":"2026-08-27T11:33:13","slug":"conquering-the-stone-king-my-monviso-journey-by-bike","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/velomag.eu\/nl\/conquering-the-stone-king-my-monviso-journey-by-bike\/","title":{"rendered":"Conquering the Stone King: My Monviso Journey by Bike"},"content":{"rendered":"

Conquering the Stone King: My Monviso Cycling Adventure<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Monviso, often referred to as the “Stone King,” has been a constant presence in my imagination. Visible from the mountains behind my home in Genoa, from my parents’ house in Turin, and from nearly every peak in the Aosta Valley and the Po Valley, its imposing silhouette has always captivated me.<\/p>\n

The Spark of Adventure<\/strong><\/p>\n

The idea of traversing Monviso by bicycle had been a recurring topic in conversations with friends, and it was a challenge that intrigued not only me but also others.<\/p>\n

Planning the Expedition<\/strong><\/p>\n

In August, I made a trip to the Rifugio dell’Antola to greet friends and enjoy some excellent dishes. This refuge serves as the final rest stop after the long and rewarding ascent of the historic RigAntoCa race, which leads from Genoa to the summit of Monte Antola. It remains a staple in my annual sporting calendar.<\/p>\n

While chatting with Davide B., a friend and one of the refuge’s managers, he mentioned, “Enri, what about that Monviso thing…?” He took out a calendar, and that’s how these plans often begin. My wife, Beatrice, always jokes that I associate with questionable crowds.<\/p>\n

We tentatively set the date for August 29. I told him I might have the right person for the challenge, as Stefano P. and I had already discussed it.<\/p>\n

I wrote to Stefano, and he replied simply: “I’m in!” Damn these questionable companions. I sent the guys a possible plan.<\/p>\n

The Itinerary<\/strong><\/p>\n

At 5:43 PM on Friday, August 29, we took the train from Genoa Piazza Principe, arriving in Fossano at 8:03 PM. From Fossano to Pontechianale, it’s about 65 km by bike with a 1,400-meter elevation gain. Upon reaching Pontechianale, we would leave our bikes and, entirely at night, ascend to the summit of Monviso. The ascent is 12 km with a 2,063-meter elevation gain one-way. After returning to Pontechianale, we would resume our bikes to return to Genoa, covering approximately 200 km with a 1,450-meter elevation gain.<\/p>\n

Everyone was immediately on board. In fact, the plan convinced everyone right away. Davide would also bring a friend, Simone.<\/p>\n

Preparation Challenges<\/strong><\/p>\n

After various considerations, we decided to leave our bikes in the woodshed of Rifugio Alev\u00e9, which had kindly made it available to us.<\/p>\n

Days passed. We communicated about schedules, weather, nutrition, and exchanged ideas about the equipment. But on Wednesday, we faced a bigger problem. On August 27, the first heavy snowfall occurred on Monviso. What we had in mind couldn’t involve the use of ropes or crampons. It would become a bit more complex, slow, and heavy. Literally, in terms of weight.<\/p>\n

When I’m teased for considering half a kilogram more or less in the backpack, I always make this reasoning: hold a half-liter bottle in your hand and walk around for an hour. Now, imagine the effort of carrying it to the top of a mountain. To give a more tangible example, a 60-meter rope weighs about 3.5\/4 kg, and a pair of medium-quality crampons around 700 grams.<\/p>\n

Friday morning arrived, and Stefano called the refuge to inquire about the conditions. They told us that at the summit, there were about 10 centimeters of snow, decreasing as we descended the Normal Route. In these conditions, for what we wanted to do, there were few chances of success. But by now, we had decided to go; at worst, we would turn back. The beauty is also in that. But the mantra must remain “better a fool than a good soul” (better foolish than good soul, in Genoese).<\/p>\n

Night Journey to the Refuge<\/strong><\/p>\n

At 5:20 PM, I closed the computer. And after various vicissitudes, we all found ourselves on the train. During the Savona \u2013 Fossano journey, we reanalyzed the weather while enjoying a delicious dinner. The trip was smooth, and we were punctual in Fossano. Thanks to Trenitalia; after all, you were also one of the big unknowns.<\/p>\n

The first kilometers were fast and smooth until we encountered fields. Huge fields. With enormous amounts of manure. The smell penetrated our nostrils; for a couple of hours, we couldn’t tell if it remained in our noses or if it was present in the air. I maintain that there aren’t enough cows to produce all that manure. We laughed. We pedaled.<\/p>\n

In no time, we realized that Stefano had fallen behind. He had a flat tire.<\/p>\n

Fortunately, Simone had worked for years as a mechanic at Tracce Bike Shop, a well-known shop in Genoa. With more ease than it takes me to tie my shoes, he replaced the inner tube, re-taped the rim, giving us a lesson on how to do it, and off we went. In 6 minutes, we were pedaling again.<\/p>\n

After a while, we left the last inhabited area, and slowly the climb began. The refuge appeared to us like a small mirage in the dark. It was 11:40 PM, and we were perfectly on schedule.<\/p>\n

We were in Pontechianale, more precisely in the hamlet of Castello <\/p>\n

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