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The roads are succulent and bountiful, and the food and wine leave you breathless. The Pinarello bikes are to the highest standard of the purest gourmand. The personalities are rich and bold, yet full of subtle surprises. All is to be savored—and devoured.

Bill StricklandBicycling Magazine
25 Jun 2023
1 Jul 2023

Cycling paradise in Gstaad

$9,950
Sergio
Lead Guide:

Sérgio Paulinho

Switzerland is getting the full inGamba treatment and we’re very excited about it! This part of the world is underrated as a cycling destination, but with plenty of quiet and perfectly surfaced roads, pristine lakes and rivers, as well as challenging climbs amongst snowy peaks, it has everything a rider could dream of.

We’ll be based in Gstaad, a small but multicultural and multilingual town in the heart of the Alps that is well-known as an exclusive ski resort. Come summer, it transforms into a cycling paradise and a great selection of loops link the local passes, which are all regular features in WorldTour races such as Tour de Romandie, the Tour de Suisse and even the Tour de France. Expect all the Swiss clichés along the road: cows, dairy farms, mountain villages from another era, and we will ride through the gorgeous vineyards of Chablais and Valais, which produce some fantastic wines.

Off the bike, we’ll be living in luxury at the Gstaad Palace, a fairy-tale castle overlooking the village that has been run as a 5-star hotel by three generations of the Scherz family, offering the very best of Swiss hospitality.

Included With Trip:

  • All lodging*
  • All food and beverages**
  • Pinarello Dogma F Disk with SRAM RED eTap AXS
  • Daily Bike Wash
  • Custom Castelli × inGamba cycling kit
  • Daily post-ride massage from a professional soigneur
  • Laundry service for cycling clothing

*Pre/post-trip lodging is not included
**Beverages ordered by guests beyond normal amounts and away from group activities will incur additional charges

MEET THE GUIDES

Sergio

Sérgio Paulinho

The World Tour veteran

After an impressive pro career that started back in 2003, Sérgio Paulinho joined the inGamba team at the start of 2022 after his retirement. But we’ve known him for a long time, as not only did he race against our founder João Correia, but he was also a teammate of our star guide Manuel Cardoso back in the day. A two-time national champion in Portugal, Sérgio has also won stages at the Tour de France and Vuelta a España, and in 2004, he won a silver medal in the road race at the Athens Olympics. So it’s fair to say the man has pedigree! It isn’t the racing victories that impress us most about Sérgio though, it’s his personality, his friendly nature on and off the bike, and the fact that he’s always ready with a smile. That said, if you find yourself running out of gas on a big climb, it certainly helps to have someone like him beside you!

Paulo Crispim

Paulo began mountain biking at the early age of 16, and soon his love for bicycles, road cycling, and mechanics were there. Almost a decade later, he decided to take the risk and become a bicycle mechanic, but he never stopped participating in granfondos and amateur races. He joined inGamba as a mechanic in 2019 and now he is also one of our guides.

THE TRIP AT A GLANCE

START LOCATION:

Geneva

FINISH LOCATION:

Geneva

TOTAL ELEVATION:

8,485m

TOTAL DISTANCE:

450km

DAYS RIDING:

6

GROUP SIZE:

8-12

LONGEST DAY:

Day 5. Jaunpass. 96km

BIGGEST CLIMBING DAY:

Day 2. Col du Pillon. 1,695m

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DAY BY DAY BREAKDOWN

1

LAUENEN TEST RIDE

Sunday | 21km & 441m
Welcome to Switzerland. This short ride takes you through two typical villages near Gstaad: Lauenen and Turbach. Switchbacks, green pastures and rocky peaks in the distance: a perfect way to stretch the legs and get ready for a week in paradise.
2

COL DU PILLON, FORCLAZ AND COL DES MOSSES

Monday | 73km & 1,695m
This route leads us to the French speaking part of Switzerland. The false flat to Gsteig is the perfect warm up before the first pass: the Col du Pillon, at the base of the imposing Diablerets massif. The next climb leads to La Forclaz, a typical village in the Vallée des Ormonts. The Col des Mosses takes us back towards Gstaad, which we reach after an enchanting ride through the Pays d’Enhaut region, famous for its L’Etivaz cheese. None of the climbs is overly long or steep, making for an enjoyable day in the mountains.
3

GRUYÈRES AND MITTELBERGPASS

Tuesday | 87km & 1,614m
This loop starts with part of the day 3 route, but in the opposite direction and mostly downhill for 35 kilometers. In Broc, you will ride past the Cailler chocolate factory. Can it get more Swiss than that? The second section takes on a little known pass: the Mittelberg, which culminates at 1633 meters. It is mainly used by farmers and cyclists, making it a very pleasant experience in spite of some steep ramps. The climb features in the Bergkönig, a vintage cycling event which takes place in Gstaad every year. After a narrow descent to the lovely village of Saanen, you will be just a few kilometers away from our hotel.
4

COFFEE RIDE AND CHEESE MAKING

Wednesday | 35km & 471m
Only one climb on the programme: the Ciernes de Picaz. From there, we are only a short and flat ride away from a coffee stop and an incredible opportunity to see the gruyere cheese making.
5

JAUPANSS

Thursday | 96km & 1,626m
Another day, another region explored from the hotel doorstep: this time, we head north over the short but steep climb to Saanemöser. A 15km descent down the Simmental valley takes us to the bottom of the day’s main climb: the Jaunpass, with its many switchbacks in the middle of green pastures. After that it’s all downhill to Gruyères, home of the famous and eponymous cheese. We ride past its medieval castle before the long, gradual climb back to Gstaad which uses several sections of SuisseMobile routes, the national network of bike paths.
6

GSTAAD TO VILLARS

Friday | 74.6km & 1,598m
We finish with a bang. The Col de la Croix is the most beautiful climb you’ve never heard of. Plus we will see the Hongrin lake, a reservoir set against a dramatically unspoilt natural backdrop. A truly unique experience to cap off an amazing week in Switzerland.
7

DEPARTURE

Saturday
This is our final morning together and after a leisurely breakfast, it will be time to say goodbye until we meet again. Transfers to the airport will be arranged by our hard-working crew but if you’re planning on staying a few extra days, let us know if we can help with reservations or a few recommendations!

STAYING LONGER?

Adventure Continues…
Do you plan to come a few days early, or stay on after your inGamba adventure has ended? Our concierge can help you plan with a carefully curated selection of hotels, restaurants, bars, and guides. All of our recommendations have been hand-picked by a team of local experts, so you can spend more time enjoying all that this destination has to offer.

Seven of the last 11 Tours de France have been conquered on a DOGMA, and the latest generation is now ready to continue that legacy of success. Whatever the road throws at you, the DOGMA F is always the right bike.

WHEELSET:

Zipp 303 S Carbon Tubeless

FRAMESET:

Pinarello Dogma F

COCKPIT:

ZIPP Service Course SL

TIRES:

Vittoria Corsa

GRUPPO:

SRAM RED eTap AXS

BOTTLE CAGES:

Elite Custom Race

PEDALS:

Speedplay

BIDON:

Elite Corsa Team

SADDLE:

Prologo

COMPUTER:

Garmin Edge 1030

COLOUR:

InGamba Red

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