Granfondo Colnago Lake Garda: routes and how to prepare
- Distance
- 144 km
- Climbing
- 2,599 m
- Highest point
- 948 m
- Categorised climbs
- 14 · up to 28 %
- Shape
- Loop
Measured on the course you ride in Cycloscape. The organiser's own figures are below.
Elevation profile
66–948 m · 14 categorised climbsThe 6 biggest of 14 categorised climbs, in the order you ride them.
The Granfondo Colnago is the gran fondo of the Colnago Cycling Festival in Desenzano del Garda, on the southern shore of Lake Garda. The 2027 festival runs on 9–11 April, with the gran fondo on Sunday 11 April. In 2026 the long course was 140 km with 2,010 m of climbing and the medium course 108 km with 1,384 m.
Granfondo Colnago at a glance
- Where
- Desenzano del Garda, Italy
- Official website
- colnagocyclingfestival.com ↗
- Next edition
- 11 April 2027
- Routes
- Long course: 140 km, 2,010 m climbing · Medium course: 108 km, 1,384 m climbing
- Terrain
- Hilly — repeated climbs
- Facts checked
- 4 November 2026, against the sources below
Full preparation and course training require Event Coach Pro.
Ride the real course on your trainer. The route of Granfondo Colnago, 144 km, as a 3D world, with your trainer following its gradients — any day, and as part of your Event Coach plan. Part of Cycloscape Pro.
The routes
The Granfondo Colnago offers 2 routes.
| Route | Distance | Climbing |
|---|---|---|
| Long course (2026) | 140 km | 2,010 m |
| Medium course (2026) | 108 km | 1,384 m |
What the course asks of you
From the lake shore the routes climb into the hills around Garda: short and medium climbs, some steep, separated by fast descents and rolling roads, with views over the lake.
An early-season gran fondo: many riders arrive with little climbing in their legs. Build steady climbing efforts through the winter and ride the first climbs within yourself.
How to prepare
The general shape of a good preparation, which Event Coach turns into a plan for your fitness, time and date:
- Train repeated climbs: several efforts of 8 to 15 minutes close to your threshold, with short recoveries, copy the rhythm of the Granfondo Colnago.
- Build the long ride towards 140 km, so the final climbs are not the first time your legs have been out that long.
- Add a few short efforts at low cadence on steep gradients, for the ramps that come late in the day.
Pacing mistakes to avoid
The mistakes that cost riders the most on a day like this:
- Answering every climb of the Granfondo Colnago with a surge: repeated climbs reward an even effort, not a burst on each ramp.
- Spending the most on the famous climb when the hardest part of the day is still to come.
- Letting the pace of the group on the flat decide how tired you arrive at the climbs.
Prepare the Granfondo Colnago with Cycloscape
Tell Event Coach you are doing the Granfondo Colnago, your route and what you want from the day, and it builds your preparation towards 11 April 2027: structured workouts held by your trainer in ERG, Race Pacing for how to spend your effort, and Performance Lab to see whether the work is landing. Full preparation and course training require Event Coach Pro.
Frequently asked
When is the Granfondo Colnago 2027?
On Sunday, 11 April 2027, according to the organiser.
How long are the routes of the Granfondo Colnago?
Long course: 140 km with 2,010 m of climbing; Medium course: 108 km with 1,384 m of climbing. The 2026 courses as the organiser published them.
How many riders take part?
About 4,000 riders in 2025.
Can I ride the course of the Granfondo Colnago in Cycloscape?
Yes, inside Event Coach with Cycloscape Pro: once you start your preparation, the course is ridden on your trainer as part of the plan.