In 2022, the town in the province of Reggio Emilia will host the start of the Appenninica MTB Stage Race (4-10 September) for the first time. The athletes will kick things off with three days in the shadow of the Bismantova Rock

The story of Appenninica MTB Stage Race continues in Castelnovo ne’ Monti. After staging the grand finale of the last two editions, the town in the Province of Reggio Emilia will hold the start of the 2022 race (September 4-10, 2022) in the shadow of the Bismantova Rock, the iconic mountain to which Dante’s Purgatory was inspired. 

Having been a stage venue of Appenninica every year since the first edition, Castelnovo ne’ Monti showed a neat commitment to the format of the mountain bike stage race on the trails of the Emilia-Romagna Apennines. This time, Castelnovo will welcome the Appenninica family for no less than three days of racing. 

The first two stages will run along the popular trails of the Reggio Emilia Apennines, highlighting an area rich in history and charm. The much-anticipated third stage, the High Mountain Queen Stage, will also start from Castelnovo ne’ Monti.

On Saturday, September 3rd, the central Piazza Gramsci will already come alive with the preliminary operations and the expo area with all the local associations involved in promoting outdoor activities.

Piazza Gramsci will be the venue of the start and finish of the first stage on Sunday, September 4th, when the athletes will ride through the territories of Matilda di Canossa’s reign, among castles and ancient routes. La Matildica, with its 52 km and 1850 meters of elevation gain, will warm the athletes’ legs around the iconic Bismantova Rock, touching the Castle of Carpineti. It will be continuous hilly ups and downs alongside Monte Fosola and the long bank of the Secchia river.

The following day, Monday, September 5th, another loop stage with start and finish in Castelnovo ne’ Monti will take place. The 62 kilometers and 2350 meters of elevation gain of The Rock stage will considerably raise the bar, through the ascent to the Monte Ventasso and the passage over the scenic Calamone Lake before reaching the crest of the Monte Pastorale. Again, a sequence of ups and downs will take the athletes from the highest point of the course back to the finish line. 

On Tuesday, September 6th, Castelnovo ne’ Monti will greet the Appenninica MTB Stage Race caravan before the athletes tackle the most challenging stage of the 2022 edition, the High Mountain Queen Stage (105 km and 3650 meters of elevation gain) with arrival in Fanano (Modena). On the route, Passo della Cisa, Monte Cusna, and Pian Cavallaro are just some of the difficulties that could completely overturn the general classification.  

“We are delighted to host the Appenninica MTB Stage Race in Castelnovo ne’ Monti for the fourth straight year. We believe mountain biking has the Apennines as its territory of choice, with routes in untouched natural environments, through towns and villages rich in history, art, and culture, inhabited by welcoming people. Sports are a key vehicle to the promotion of these territories: we look forward to having the participants of Appenninica MTB Stage Race back with us in September,” said Enrico Bini, mayor of Castelnovo ne’ Monti. 

CASTELNOVO NE’ MONTI, BETWEEN HISTORY AND MAGIC

Castelnovo ne’ Monti and the surrounding territories are full of history and magic, starting with the Bismantova Rock, which, according to tradition, inspired Dante’s Purgatory during a stay of the poet in 1306, as also reported in the Canto IV of the Divine Comedy’s Purgatory. The Castelnovo area also boasts several fortresses and castles, once part of the reign of Matilda of Canossa, between 1000 and 1100 AD.

The medieval town’s historical center is definitely worth a visit. It was renovated in recent years, and it offers some truly characteristic views. Among these is the Palazzo Ducale, immersed in the green gardens of Bagnolo, built by the Este family as a symbol of their domination over the territory, and is now the venue of Castelnovo’s City Hall.

In the fourth edition of Appenninica (4-10 September 2022), the 104 Km and 3600 metres of elevation gain of the High Mountain Queen Stage’ from Castelnovo ne’ Monti to Fanano might be the turning point of the race on day 3, Tuesday, September 6th

With its 440 km and 16,000 metres of elevation gain spread over seven days (September 4th-10th, 2022), up and down the Emilia-Romagna Apennines, Appenninica MTB Stage Race poses plenty of challenges on the way of its participants. However, those who have already taken part in the spectacular Italian MTB stage race and those who dream of doing it soon know that there is always a day to be circled in red: the High Mountain Queen Stage.

The stage race scheduled in the Emilia-Romagna Apennines will reverse course this year, starting from Castelnovo ne’ Monti and ending in Lizzano in Belvedere, but the format will remain unchanged, with its unique mix of tough and exciting challenges, trails in the wilderness, and incomparable scenery. This year, the most challenging test will come on the third day, Tuesday, September 6th, 2022, when the Queen Stage of the 2022 edition is scheduled, starting from Castelnovo ne’ Monti (Reggio Emilia) and arriving in Fanano (Modena).

Compared to the past, the athletes will be fresher to tackle the 104 km and 3600 metres of elevation gain, but there will certainly be no shortage of thrills, starting with the spectacular views of a route almost entirely above 1,500 metres in altitude. A large part of the route follows the Alta via dei Parchi along ancient military mule tracks and trade routes such as the ancient via Vandelli, which connected Modena to Massa Carrara from the 18th century onwards.

At the start, there will be time for a final salute to the Bismantova Rock before crossing the Secchia river and beginning the first long ascent of the day (20 km and 1000 metres of elevation gain). A forest road will lead to the Cisa Pass and the “Alta Tensione” trail, eventually reaching the Monte Cusna area.

From Febbio, a new climb on forest roads will take the bikers to the summit of the Monte Giovarello (1760 m a.s.l.), from where, with favourable weather conditions, the entire Po Valley and beyond to the Tuscan coast can be seen. After reaching the Passo Radici, the route will go down in altitude, alternating forest roads and short single tracks up to the village of Pievepelago. Here the athletes will be able to catch their breath on the 10 km of asphalt road that will lead to Fiumalbo, where the climbing will start again.

A 10 km forest road and 1000 metres of altitude difference will take the athletes to Pian Cavallaro (1850 m a.s.l.) at the foot of Monte Cimone. There will only be 15 km left to the finish in Fanano, to be raced on pleasant forestry descents and short single-track sections. The first competitors will reach Piazza Corsini after 5 hours and 30 minutes: on such a day there’s nowhere to hide, and the general classification could be significantly reshaped.

“It is a Queen Stage in pure Appenninica style. The bikers will face ‘wild’ trails and unspoilt landscapes, on a selective – but also flowy – route that will cross some of the best-known areas of the Emilia-Romagna Apennines, such as Monte Cusna and Monte Cimone”, explained Beppe Salerno and Milena Bettocchi, the co-organizers of Appenninica MTB Stage Race.