Description
Itinerary:
From Porta Testa, the western entrance to Finalborgo, go towards Final Marina until you find the beginning of the 'Napoleonic' road (although it is misnamed, as it has nothing to do with the famous leader) below the steep slopes of the Caprazoppa mountain.
You pass a chain and take the small route marked with a red rhombus, which climbs gradually, leaving a small white chapel to your right. The track gradually becomes steeper – it is composed of a bed of loose stones - and with some turns followed by a very short section where you have to carry your bike. The route takes you through a quarry, near a gate.
You then turn right, still climbing along the wide dirt track and after more turns you emerge on the summit of the Caprazoppa. Here you leave the big track to take a path on the right, again marked with a red rhombus. After a few hundred metres you leave this track, which leads to the left, and instead go straight ahead on a path with many sudden twists and turns, climbs and descents. After a flat section you rejoin the original track, which is again marked by a red rhombus.
Following a short stony descent you will cross a path which is marked with a red circle – this comes up from the village of Borgio. Follow this track, which tends towards the right. There is a short climb and at another junction you take the right; beside you there is an enormous hole. You cross a small football field and join a path on the left to arrive at the church in Verezzi (which has a water fountain). Continue behind the church and keep following the red rhombus marks. The path takes you along the ridge and then you turn right at the first fork, then at a second go straight ahead and you come out on a dirt track near the Gorra TV transmitter.
Follow the track, which after a few hundred metres passes a turning on a descent which is closed off with a chain. At the next junction take the right and at another fork in the track continue towards the left until you rejoin the tarmac road which connects Gorra and Verezzi.
Towards Gorra on the right as you approach it, leave the main road and take a small road on the right which goes into the village, crossing a small lane where you take the right turn, signposted by a red circle with a hollow centre.
Coming out of the built up area, there is a fork on the right but you go straight ahead on the small road which passes farmed fields and leads into the woods, near another fork. At this one you leave the track marked by a red circle with a hollow centre and take another path which goes downhill to the right.
There is a short flat section then a steep climb, but a path on the right should be ignored. The road becomes a track near the brow of the hill, descending along an interesting section with small turns and tough sections of climbing, some of which you will need to do on foot. This will take you to to the Rocce dell'Orera.
You continue along another flat but interesting track until it crosses the most obvious path, signposted by three small red balls. This would take you back to the church in Verezzi which you passed earlier. Go to your left and after a short technical climb you emerge on the brow of the hill near a shrine. From this point you take a long downhill track which is extremely steep, with some very technical sections which really demand you to be completely in control of your bike.
The track ends at the point where you joined it at the start of the ride, by the chained exit from Finalborgo.
Directions
This is one of the main events for mountain bikers in Finale: It begins with a hard, strenuous climb up an undulating track which ends in a breathtaking technical descent and takes you back to the start.