exactly a bike trail, nor is it beginner friendly
– the exposure and steep stairs are quite
intimidating. Parts of the trail go through
people’s gardens, and the tiny villages have
streets barely wide enough for one small
car. The views are to die for – literally. They
famously say, “Napoli e poi muori” (see
Naples and die), but we weren’t quite ready
for that yet. It was only day one and we
had already experienced Italy at its best on
every level.
Finished on this treacherous path, we
took shelter from some dark clouds in a bar
for an espresso break, before we crossed
the mountain range that separates the
Amalfi Coast from the Bay of Naples. We
rode regular mountain bikes (GT Sensor full
suspension equipped with Shimano parts
and Stans wheels) and e-bikes, the latter
proving especially useful for the stages
inside the city.
On day two, after an early start, we
reached Mount Vesuvius. My sister Silvia,
who lives in Italy and has a mountain bike
touring company and a boutique bike hotel
in Umbria (Alps Tours/Countryhouse Villa
Rey), joined Ottavio and I as a surprise
guest on this day. She has been biking for
many years and has always wanted to join
me on one of my adventures. She chose the
perfect day and location.
Riding along the rim of this legendary
volcanic crater was an unforgettable
experience. It offered views over Naples,
Pompeii and the entire coastline, all the
way to the island of Ischia, where I would
finish my Trans Napoli traverse in a few
days’ time. The crater is about 305m
deep and 610m across and was formed
during the last volcanic eruption in
1944. This was perhaps one of the most
spectacular locations I’ve ever had the
chance to ride my bike, and believe me,
I have been to many incredible places
during my biking career.
The trails around the back of the volcano
were really good, and we had them to
ourselves thanks to a special permit to
enter the area after it had been closed due
to recent wildfires. Mount Somma and the
Valley of the Giants, all part of the Vesuvius
massif, have their own microclimate
with very lush vegetation. The mountain
measures 1 281m today – it was twice the
size before its infamous eruption 2º000
years ago covered the surrounding villages
in lava and ash. While riding through
the area, it was eerie to think about the
devastation that happened and what it
must have been like when this mountain
raged. We couldn’t help but wonder when
it might get angry again, and the sulphur
fumes are a reminder that it’s just a matter
of time before it does. Arriving in Pompeii
and Herculaneum, two of the old Roman
towns that were destroyed and preserved
by the lava, made it even more real. Life
ended here in an instant 2 000 years ago,
as the remains of dead bodies preserved in
the ash bear witness.
Day three was the beginning of the urban
assault. I switched over to my e-bike to
conquer the streets and neighbourhoods of
an ancient city that is home to one million
people. Naples has some crazy traffic.
There’s a cacophony of noise, a mixture
of blaring horns and screeching brakes as
cars and motorcycles joust for their piece of
the road. Our e-bikes turned out to be the
best vehicles on which to see and feel this
buzzing city. Neapolitan traffic is notorious.
It’s chaotic but, by some miraculous and
common understanding, it works. To avoid
it you can use the city’s back alleys and
many staircases to cut from one district to
another. The ancient streets are decorated
with laundry lines and boast markets
with colourful fruit, vegetables and fresh
seafood, pizza stands, cafes and souvenir
shops. The world’s oldest pizzeria is here,
and many argue that you can find the best
pizza in the world in Naples. Whisking
through traffic, dodging cars, pedestrians
and scooters, I eventually ended up at
the seafront by Castel Nuovo, where I met
a bunch of local riders for an additional
evening session.
The next day we rode along the urban
coastline, from the centre to the northern
part of the city, the ancient port of Pozzuoli
and Europe’s “youngest” mountain, Monte
Nuovo. It is only 134m high and is the result
of a volcanic eruption some 450 years ago.
For this leg I was joined by an Italian friend,
Julian Giacomelli. We have ridden together
many times before in Livigno, and it was
great to have him along. He is an exceptional
skier and his biking skills aren’t bad either!
We even got to take our bikes into the
underground tunnel system beneath the
city, known as Napoli Sotterranea, and ride
through the corridors and tunnels that have
been used since before the time of Christ as
cellars, cisterns or shelters.
We passed the famous Napoli football
stadium where Maradona played in his
heyday, and almost got to ride across the
pitch. Almost. Nearby was a shocking
bucket list busting | MTB | 65