Sat, 1 June 2019
Vertical Climbed: 657 meters (2,156 feet)
Vertical Descended: 649 meters
Rating: 3
General Description
Starting this route in Pettenasco (it has to start somewhere despite being a loop) head south. There is s small climb up to Orta then along the lake. At the end of the lake there is a stiffer 50 meter climb before heading inline to Gozzano then looping back around to the west side of the lake. You can drop down to the lake level again on the Lagna Pella road but don't miss the turn to climb back up onto the Omegna road. More interesting is the climb to the church of the Madonnas del Sasso (our lady of the cliffs). From the main road you climb via a series of wide hairpins then through some woods, at the exit, around 2km there is a fork. Take the left turn for a series of zig-zags that end at the village of Boleto. Turn left to ride down to the church. On the return ignore this road to continue straight on, this takes you through a narrow village (beware drains in the road) to rejoin at the fork.
The west side of the lake is not too steep a climb, medium traffic with some shade. At Cesara you'll start a steeper descent down to Omegna where you can return to Pettanasco by following the lake.
Trip Report
I've been keen to ride around the lake for a few years, it was not as hard as I'd thought it might be and the climb to the Madonna del Sasso is the cherry on the cake.
Warm day but not excessively so. A bit busy on the south end of the lake. The climb up to the church is almost traffic free as was the road as far as Cesara. Roads in Omegna are potholed, I hit a few nasty lumps at the end of the descent.
