Lombardy Gran Trail brought bikepacking into the heart of northern Italy
EPICDAYS.CC had unveiled the Lombardy Gran Trail as a new bikepacking event for spring 2026, offering riders a choice of 250km or 550km routes across gravel tracks, lakeside roads and historic cities in one of Italy’s most varied regions.
Set to run from 3 to 6 April 2026, the event had been positioned as a fresh way to experience Lombardy beyond its industrial reputation, with the route designed to highlight the region’s mix of natural scenery, urban culture and rural roads. More than 300 riders from 11 European countries had been expected on the start line, while female participation had been projected to top 20 per cent.
At the centre of the concept had been a simple idea: freedom. Like other EPICDAYS.CC events, the Lombardy Gran Trail had been built around an unsupported format, allowing riders to set their own pace and approach the challenge in their own way. The event had also catered for different levels of experience, with a 550km long route for riders seeking a deeper adventure and a 250km option aimed at those newer to multi-day off-road riding.
Both routes had started in Bergamo and initially followed the same line towards Lake Iseo before continuing through Brescia to Mazzano. That point had served as a key hub for the event, with riders able to stop at a base camp set up at a local sports centre and sleep overnight using their own sleeping bags.
From Mazzano, the shorter route had turned south towards Crema before looping back north to Bergamo along the River Serio. Organisers had described that section as a compact showcase of Lombardy’s variety, combining gravel roads lined with dense greenery and quiet tarmac lanes running between broad cultivated fields.
The long route had pushed on towards Lake Garda before dropping into the Po Valley and linking a string of cities including Mantua, Cremona and Pavia. From there, riders had headed north towards Milan before returning to Bergamo to complete the loop. The final GPX tracks had been scheduled to go out to participants only a few days before the start.
Although the event had been unsupported, EPICDAYS.CC had made clear that riders would not have been completely on their own. Two free base camps had been reserved for registered participants planning to complete the route in three days, one in Mazzano for the opening night and another near Pavia. At those checkpoints, riders had been able to sleep, shower and recharge before getting back on the bike.
The Lombardy Gran Trail had opened what EPICDAYS.CC described as a packed 2026 season, blending established events with new additions. The company itself had been founded in Milan in 2024 by Andy Serighelli, a music producer who had turned his attention to cycling experiences after more than 15 years working internationally in music. According to the organisers, the aim had been to create memorable journeys on two wheels that encouraged riders to explore, connect and share the road.
For a cycling audience, the appeal had been easy to see. This had not been a race in the traditional sense, nor simply a sportive with a gravel twist. Instead, the Lombardy Gran Trail had leaned into the growing appetite for self-supported adventure, giving riders a chance to cross one of Italy’s richest regions under their own steam while still benefiting from a light touch of structure and support.
