One Saturday a year, the Stelvio Pass, one of the most famous climbs in cycling, closes to cars and motorbikes and belongs to bikes for the day. All three roads to the top shut to motor traffic from 8am to 4pm, there's no entry fee and no timing chip, and thousands of riders take their time up to 2,758 metres. We rode it from Bormio on 29 August 2026, as part of a few days in the Italian Dolomites.
At a glance
When: once a year, usually the last Saturday in August (29 August in 2026). The 2027 date isn't confirmed yet; check bormio.eu in spring.
Roads closed: 8am to 4pm, on all three sides: from Bormio (at Bagni Vecchi), from Trafoi in South Tyrol, and from Santa Maria in Switzerland via the Umbrail Pass.
Cost: free. No registration, no timing, not a race.
Our climb: Bormio side, 21 km, about 1,550 m of climbing, average about 7%.
Effort: 4 out of 5. A long, steady climb at high altitude, but you can take it at your own pace.
What it is
Stelvio Bike Day (also billed as the Cima Coppi climb) is part of Bormio's Enjoy Stelvio summer programme of car-free mornings and days on the local passes. It's been running for over twenty years. Unlike the Sellaronda, it isn't a loop: you choose a side, ride up, enjoy the top and ride back down.
The organisers are clear that the road rules still apply even with the cars gone: keep to the right, and take the descent steadily, because there are riders coming up the whole way.
The route
We climbed the Bormio side, which is the most direct option if you're staying in Valtellina or driving in from the south. It's 21 km from the town to the summit. The gradient barely changes, sitting around 7% almost all the way, so it's more about settling into a rhythm than surviving steep ramps. The last few kilometres are above 2,400 m, where the air is noticeably thinner.
The other two options are the classic northern side from Prato and Trafoi in South Tyrol, famous for its 48 numbered hairpins, and the Umbrail Pass from Santa Maria in Switzerland, which joins the Bormio road near the top.
Our day
We rolled out of Bormio at about half past nine under clear skies. It was around 15°C in town, but cooler and fresher with every hairpin. With stops for photos and to take in the views, we reached the top a little under two and a half hours later, then spent about an hour at the summit before the descent back down the same road.
The atmosphere is the reason to go. With no engines, all you hear is freewheels and chatter, and the summit fills up with riders celebrating one of the great climbs of the Alps.
Where to stay
Bormio puts you at the foot of the climb, with no driving on the day, and it has its own thermal spas for your legs afterwards. If the Stelvio is the whole point of your trip, stay here.
Or make it part of a bigger trip, as we did. We based ourselves at Lefay Resort & Spa Dolomiti above Pinzolo for five nights, booked through Mr & Mrs Smith (about €649 a night for two, with breakfast). It's a long drive from Bormio, so it meant an early start on the day, but it gave us a spa to come back to and more great riding and hiking on the other days. A full review is on the way.
Getting there
We flew into Verona with British Airways and hired a car at the airport. Bormio is a long way from any airport, so a car makes life much easier, especially if you want to combine the Stelvio with other valleys. Remember that the pass road is closed to cars from 8am, so if you're driving in on the day, plan to arrive and park in Bormio before then.
What to bring
A helmet, gloves and sunglasses (the organisers ask for all three).
A windproof or rain jacket for the top and the descent. At 2,758 m it can be cold even on a hot day in the valley.
Enough food and drink for a long climb. It's 21 km up, and you'll be going slower than you think.
Lights or a bright top if there's any chance of cloud, especially for the tunnels.
Plan it with us
Want to ride the Stelvio next August without working out the logistics yourself? Tell us when you'd like to go and we'll put together the hotel, bike hire, transfers and timings. Start planning →