Brenner Pass to Capo Passero, Sicily, by Handbike

Congratulations to Gianni Garbin of Recoaro Terme (Vicenza) who completed a 1,671.4 Km (1,038.5 miles) journey by handbike from the Brenner Pass on the Italy-Austria border to Portopalo di Capo Passero at the southern tip of Sicily. Gianni became paralyzed in a 2006 snowboarding accident.

The trip, from 30 May to 20 June, was undertaken in 21 stages.
Passo del Brennero – Bolzano Km. 87
Bolzano - Rovereto Km. 95
Rovereto – Mantova Km. 110
Mantova – Centro Protesi INAIL Budrio Km. 103
Centro Protesi INAIL Budrio – Firenzuola Km. 73
Firenzuola – Firenze Km. 59
Firenze – Siena Km. 69
Siena – Montefiascone Km. 126
Montefiascone – Roma Km. 103
Roma – Latina Km. 90
Latina – Gaeta Km. 88
Gaeta – Napoli Km. 100
Napoli – Salerno Km. 116
Salerno – Paestum Km. 40
Paestum – Palinuro Km. 79
Palinuro – Maratea Km. 68
Maratea – Castrovillari Km. 97
Castrovillari – Crotone Km. 151
Crotone – Roccella Ionica Km. 135
Roccella Ionica – Villa S. G. Km. 115
Messina – Catania Km. 97
Portopalo di Capo Passero Km. 128

The trip was supported by the Italian bike advocacy group FIAB (Federazione Italiana Amici della Bicicletta), numerous other organizations, family and friends.

FIAB has been working on developing the CICLOPISTA DEL SOLE, a bike path from the Brenner Pass to Sicily. The name was chosen as one always faces the sun when traveling southward. The path is has been mostly completed from the Brenner Pass to Verona as it follows the Adige river. South of Verona the path is incomplete. Maps and a book of the Ciclopista del Sole are available from http://www.ediciclo.it/index.php

Bravissimo!

Gianni can be contacted: giansnow AT libero DOT it

Stories, including cycling trip stories, for the Italian Cycling Journal welcome; contact veronaman@gmail.com.