From Cesana - west - [Average gradient:
9.0% - Maximum gradient : 8.0% - Distance 21.2km - Height gain
953m]
Sitting at the top of the Colle di Sestriere and 17km from the
French border is the 2006 Olympic ski resort of Sestriere. The
road up from Cesana is smooth and well maintained and although
never particularly steep tougher than its immediate neighbour
the Col de Montgenèvre. Perhaps they just make the Italian cols
harder to climb! Still once at the top (and still while
climbing) the views over the Italian alps are truly breath
taking. From the summit it's pretty much 50km all down hill to
Pinerolo.
Interestingly Sestriere also has the highest 18 hole golf
course in Europe! and two distinctive hotel towers that were
built in the 1930s by FIAT's founder Giovanni Agnelli, which have
become the symbol of the village; these were the first buildings
of the village. The Colle di Sestriere is often used in the Giro
d'Italia. |
