1001 Miglia Italia, Part II

This past Saturday the official presentation for the 2nd edition of the 1001 Miglia Italia, the 1001 mile randonee in Italy, took place in Milan. The 1001 Miglia is the longest randonnée of Europe. Particpating in the presentation were the the Counselors of Sports and Tourism for the Province of Milan, Cristina Stancari and Stefano Bolognini, and ARI (Audax Randonneur Italy) President Fermo Rigamonti.

Registration for the event, which reported on in Part I, opened on September 6, 2009. There are already 340 registrants representing 25 countries and 25 provinces of Italy. Of the 340 currently registered 168 are foreigners and 21 are women. The inaugural 2008 edition of the event had 220 participants of which 163 completed it.

Riders will have a maximum time limit of 135 hours to complete the 1001 mile route that features a total of 20,000 feet of elevation gain. The route will begin in Nerviano, near Milan, and will take riders eastward through the Po Valley along the Po River eventually crossing the Appenines, fortunately avoiding the steepest climbs. Riders will turn south crossing central Italy along the Tiber River and past the Trasimeno, Corbara, Bolsena. Then it's northward on through the roads of Siena, Chianti, Lucca, before arriving at Cinque Terre along the Liguerian Sea. The route then turns east crossing the hills of Oltrepo before reaching the plains and rice fields of Lombardia.

The event will take place from August 16, 2010 to August 22, 2010.

To participate in the 1001 Miglia this year a rider must have had previously completed the Paris Brest Paris, 1001 Miglia, LEL or MGM; or a 600km or 400km in 2010. For further details see here.

Photo: route map; click to enlarge

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