Locarno-Ascona   

The village of Locarno is just a bridge away from the nearby city of Ascona. Yet this individual time trial does not only use a bridge to connect the two city centers, but focuses on the hills around the two cities. And, as if in harmony, two separate time trials take place along the same route on the same weekend with a winners celebration on the beach on the Sunday evening.

The riders will set off from Locarno, in ...

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The village of Locarno is just a bridge away from the nearby city of Ascona. Yet this individual time trial does not only use a bridge to connect the two city centers, but focuses on the hills around the two cities. And, as if in harmony, two separate time trials take place along the same route on the same weekend with a winners celebration on the beach on the Sunday evening.

The riders will set off from Locarno, in the opposite direction to their destination. These riders will then have to tackle a 7km climb up to the hill of Albergo Cardada, a rise of 1,160 meters at an average gradient of 15%. This beast of a mountain will separate all of the riders by large amounts. The strongest timetriallers will not be in front at the first checkpoint, rather the climbers will lead.

Rather than a descent off of the hill, the route makes use of an undulating road that will descend overall back towards the city of Ascona. The riders will first pass through the village of Avegno before another hill road takes them to hill of Arcegno. With just two kilometers left the riders will be dead from the constant effort, but they have to keep up the pace as best as possible as the stronger riders behind that aren't as good at climbing will be closing in on the podium.

While the tourists enjoy the summer sunshine on the balustrade of the Maggio lake, the riders will not be able to enjoy such luxuries, having to push themselves to the limits of their abilities. The winner though, will enjoy a celebration of his achievement later in the evening, as the sun sets over the lake and the unsuccessful riders leave on the first train out of Ascona.