MOUNT ETNA BIKE CLIMB
Everything You Need To Know About Linguaglossa – Piano Provenzana bike route
The Linguaglossa – Piano Provenzana side, the most northerly of all those proposed, is 18 km long, has a height difference of 1168 meters, an average gradient of 6%, with peaks of 10, taking us from 552 meters of altitude at Linguaglossa, a central municipality in the territory of the Etna Park, up to the 1,720 meters of Piano Provenzana, crossing a varied vegetation that includes conifer woods.
An uncategorized challenge, with a final 3 kilometers with a gradient of more than 10%, an ascent for real climbers that the challengers of the Giro d’Italia in 2011 faced at the beginning, and then embarked on the final arrival phase at the Sapienza Refuge.
It is not just a journey through the colors of Etna, but also an experience that will lead us to perceive under our wheels the vital power of the fire giant, which these roads destroyed and devastated a few years ago during terrible eruptions.
This side has also been renamed #Salvaciclisti, because especially on Sundays it is difficult to co-exist with the motorcyclists, who have claimed this track as their own.
So, taking all necessary precautions, the approach to the goal starts from Linguaglossa, with a long straight run at 5%. Then we will tackle the first gentle slopes, followed by wide hairpin bends.
Accompanied by the scent of the almost alpine vegetation we will arrive at kilometer 10, pedaling under the shade of the Ragabo pine forest, until we cross two historical places, the Brunek Refuge and the Ragabo, ideal places for a stop, and destinations appreciated by motorcyclists, cyclists and horse-riding enthusiasts.
At the end of the break, two kilometers of open stretch introduce the latest climbs, marked by the volcanic force of the October 2002 flow that destroyed the Piano Provenzana ski resort. These are almost always slopes above 10%, cut into the flow, which after three kilometers will lead to an altitude of 1,805 meters in the square of Piano Provenzana.
From here the view will reward us, as we witness the breath of the volcano from a short distance; the Magic Mountain that welcomes all year round those who, among the most passionate sportsmen, are ready to follow their hearts.
