You can't get closer to the race day action with our brand new four star hotel being close to the route and near to the start and finish of both the WorldTour race and Gran Fondo, as well as the beautiful roads around Lake Como. The Hotel Promessi Sposi has been completely re-built in 2023 and features a panoramic rooftop terrace, rooms overlooking Lake Como, a relaxing spa, shoreside restaurant and bar.

Facilities also include secure parking and bike storage. A full buffet breakfast each day will set you up for training rides and lunches and dinners will let you sample the best of Lombardia cuisine. There's also a wide selection of post-ride nutrition products to help you recover after recons and racing.

One of the most interesting and technical end-of-season Gran Fondos, Il Lombardia takes the best bits of the pro race and combines them for a perfect Autumn ride.

The beauty of this Gran Fondo lies in its unique route, which takes in two iconic climbs in an extraordinary landscape. A perfect combination of ascents, descents and steep climbs that ensures fun and enjoyment to all participants.

All without forgetting that the day before, Pro riders will be battling each other on the very same roads to conquer the 118th edition of the “Classic of the Falling Leaves”.

The first 25 km follow constant undulations, leading to the Muro di Sormano, an icon in the cycling world, and the highest and hardest point of the race.

Here, the route climbs steeply with an average 15.8% gradient, topping out at 27%. On the Muro, the writing on the tarmac and the signage at the side of the road provide Gran Fondo athletes with the experience of a real Pro.

Riders may also take a 2 km detour allowing them to reach the summit along an easier climb. After a sharp descent the athletes will then tackle the second climb of the day, the Ghisallo.

Gradients here are high, but not as steep as in Sormano. The average slope is 6.2% over 9 km, topping out at 14% towards the end.

At the summit, the riders will be welcomed by the bells of Madonna del Ghisallo and the most famous museum in cycling history.

Find out more about the Gran Fondo here - https://gfilombardia.it/en/

As well as in depth training rides on key sectors of the race and a roadbook that fully prepares you for the Gran Fondo, our coaches will prepare a nutrition plan for you, plus start and finish line support on the day, as an official tour operator you'll also get a start position in the first grid which gives you a much better chance of reaching the Muro di Sormano without having a queue of riders in front of you.

Lombardia is the region of Italy with the fashion and design hub of Milan as its capital. Our riding will be mostly in the centre of Lombardia on the shores of Lake Como and the hills above. Here you will find challenging climbs that twist up densely forested hillside before opening up to incredible panoramas of the lakes and alps surrounding the area. Exhilarating descents take you back to the heart of Lombardia. Off the bike there is a wealth of culture and cuisine to explore in a region famed for food, wine, art, fashion and history.

Italy is home to arguably the best food in the world and some of the most revered Italian cuisine is from the Lombardia region. Dinners and lunches will take in some of the best local dishes, made from fresh local produce, in great restaurants, while making sure that dietary requirements are met for a solid block of training and racing. A wealth of options from the breakfast buffet will give you all the energy you need for each ride, including an early breakfast on Granfondo day.

Rider's companions will be able to explore the exciting city of Milan and surrounding Lombardia countryside including Lake Como as well as enjoying easy access to the Gran Fondo and WorldTour race start and finish. With the centre of Milan around 45 minutes away by car or train, the shores of Como reachable in just 20 minutes as well as Bergamo and Mendrisio (CH) just under 1 hour drive, there's plenty to experience in all directions, on and off the bike.

How fit do I need to be?

There's no hard 'minimum standard' of fitness on our Pro Race Camps but you should be fit enough to complete the race event within the time cut-off and to be comfortable on our recon rides we would suggest that being able to sustain 25-30kph on flat terrain in a group is best. On hills or other technical sectors we tend to take them at our own pace and regroup at the end. Our support vehicle is always on hand to help. This is a performance camp where our coaches and support staff are dedicated to helping you get the best result and experience on race day.

Where will I be in the Gran Fondo start grid?

As an official partner of RCS - the Gran Fondo Il Lombardia Felice Gimondi organizer, Team EF Coaching get preferential start positions for our athletes, this is typically within the first 300 positions.

When should I arrive?

Our camps start first thing on day one, ideally you should have your bike and kit ready to go at this point however we understand travel times may not always fit with this. We've included the accommodation for night before in order to make sure you get the most out of the camp.

When do I depart?

As above, we understand logistics may not always work perfectly with timing but we suggest you plan to leave on the Monday after the camp, we will support you with transfers to major airports and stations nearby.