We have chosen our 5 best trails on the Island of Elba and have enclosed them in video. The episode ends with a bike ride with Riccardo and Valentina, 2 defined advanced beginners.
ELBE 500
We start from the first descent known as Monte Tambone Trail or, for the locals, Elba 500. The entrance is reached by a dirt road that starts on the climb that leads from Lacona to Marina di Campo. With its 1800m for 270m of negative altitude difference it looks like a descent made technical and battered by the rains that have certainly ruined it compared to the ancient dawn of when it was traveled by the Granfondo Elba Ovest. In the roll of honor of the race we find Bettelli, Spadi, Zoli, Alberati, Bianchi, Hofer, Deho, Ragnoli: in short, many of the best national interpreters. It starts from 377m of Monte Tambone and arrives in Marina di Campo, with a further km after the very easy descent that takes us to the state road before the town. It presents some interesting ideas even if you have to be careful not to take too much speed, given some damned channels or holes. The view is fabulous.
STAIRS
We move to the eastern area of the Island of Elba where we find the Scalette, a trail that is part of the Elba Trail Area. The area consists of 8 trails of varying difficulty suitable for all types of bikers. On the part of the road that goes from Rio Elba to the Castle of Volterraio, we find a path that takes us to Monte Capannello, where the view is breathtaking: from there it is excellent to use a first stretch of descent and then join the Scalette. 2Km for 240m of negative altitude. Very flowy initial part, with some pedaled stretches, and finally endless stones: be careful not to take someone sharp in full otherwise you will leave the wheel. Epilogue to the beach of Bagnaia with an excellent beach bar with the sunset clearly visible.
STOPLIGHT
And now we move to the west, to the wildest and most mountainous Elba. Let's get to know the traffic light, a descent at the end of the stretch that connects Madonna del Monte to, in fact, the traffic light: But what is this structure? It is nothing more than a disused maritime traffic light overlooking the Corsican canal. A very technical descent with, for a change, a fabulous view: the central section with about twenty hairpin bends is very impressive. 4.3km for 730m of negative altitude which ends in the beautiful village of Chiessi. A trail that requires physical: it is certainly not easy to do it all in one go.
POGGIO POWDERHOUSE
One of the classics of the Capoliveri Legend as well as the perhaps more flow descent to the Island of Elba: we are talking about Poggio Polverario or Polveriera for the locals. The location is very suggestive as you cross the ancient Vallone quarry and the ground is completely red! Be careful not to fall as there are many iron ore residues on the ground and the contact is enough… sandpaper. We are right in the center of the Capoliveri Bike Park: a maze of trails all part of Monte Calamita. The central stretch is 1.3km per 100m of altitude difference but it can be joined with 2 other variants and thus create a unique descent that takes us from the summit of the mountain to the mines of Punta Calamita! The ground is very dusty and is well suited even after long rainy days. I am already the scene of international challenges with the Marathon World Cup and the 2021 World Championships.
HIGH SKY + STANDING STONES
And finally, perhaps the most beautiful descent on the island, even if not all bikers have the same tastes. We are talking about the combination Cielo Alto + Sassi Ritti, already the scene of the test of the Toscano Enduro Series. Departure from Masso alla Quata, reachable from the brow of Monte Perone or from a trail that is located approximately at the last km on the road that from San Piero leads to Monte Perone. Descent that mixes battered and flow: a very stony first part (Cielo Alto) AND a Sassi Ritti enduro style, lots of speed but also technique. Combining the 2 sections, they are 2.8km long with 440m of negative altitude difference. The sight? Here too fabulous, with the sea and Pianosa in the background.
GPS tracks:
Elba 500: https://www.trailforks.com/trails/segagnana-lato-marina-di-campo/
Ladders: https://www.trailforks.com/trails/scalette-104754/
Stoplight: https://www.trailforks.com/trails/il-semaforo/
Poggio Polveraio: https://www.trailforks.com/trails/polveriera-classic-dh/
High Sky: https://www.trailforks.com/trails/cielo-alto/
SUMMARY:
0:00 INTRO
1:13 THE 5 BEST TRAILS ON THE ISLAND OF ELBA
10:03 RICCARDO'S TOUR
16:38 PROJECTED IMPACT
