Leaving Chioggia in the Venice Lagoon the route follows small roads and cycling routes on the huge dams. The immense water system built in the Po valley to distribute the water for agriculture is still used today. Till 5 floor high water dams are part of the route and riders will gross a pontonier bridge.
The next highlight after checkpoint 2 is certainly Venice. Cycling trough the city of Venice is not possible and would not be much fun. But even better, the route leads over the lagoon islands Lido and San Pietro in Volta. Three short ferry connections are part of the route that offers a welcoming short relaxing brake on the water. And you get a nice view to the city of Venice from the south. You will be able to recognize the Marco tower and other landmarks.
A fixed road that was not passable two years ago allows us to bypass Úbeda in Spain. The new 20km section offers spectacular views and a nice downhill on a winding back road trough olive fields.
Since January we are back on the roads in Italy, France, Spain and Morocco for the 45-SouthWest, Iberica-Traversa and Morocco-BikeAdventure. Beside all the small updates realted to changes on the roads, for the 45-SouthWest we have 3 major route changes.
New for this year, we bypass Alessandria. Coming from east to Alessandria there is only one bridge crossing the Bormida river where all the traffic passes without any reserved space for cyclists or pedestrians. Trough Alessandria we also have not been that happy with the route and in the first edition riders had some difficulties to find accommodation in Alessandria.
A new 31km section bypasses now Alessandria on small roads in the south. And the new route goes in front of a motel with 24 hour reception. The new route is 2km longer but we are sure it’s faster.
Through vineyards and hills, the route will take the riders to Ptuj, the oldest city in Slovenia and one of the oldest in Europe. Ptuj, known for its rich culture and historical significance, awaits riders as the second checkpoint on the route to Tarifa.
The roots of Ptuj’s settlement can be traced back to the Stone Age, providing evidence of human habitation in the area. During the Late Iron Age, the city was inhabited by Celts, further adding to its historical importance.
In addition to its cultural heritage, Ptuj is home to Slovenia’s oldest winery, Ptujska Klet, established in 1239. This historic winery proudly preserves the oldest known Slovenian wine, dating back to 1917.
Before reaching Ljubljana, riders will stop on the bridge over the Drava River to take a mandatory photo with a view of the majestic Grad Ptuj castle from the 11th century, located atop a picturesque hill.
Don’t miss to register for the second edition of the 45-SouthWest in 2025. 1st of January the starting fee will increase. For this second edition we await about 40 till 50 riders. The start of the adventure is early morning 20th of June on the main square of Krakow.
395km in your legs. Crossing the bridge over the Donau river from Slovakia to Hungary at the Danube bend, you will see the eye-catching castle and the monumental Esztergom Basilica which is the largest church and the tallest building in Hungary.
Esztergom is an important city in the history of Hungary: the founder of the state, the King of Hungary, Saint Stephen, was born and also crowned here. The town, situated in the picturesque region of the Danube Bend was the first capital of Hungary.
