Nove Colli

Nove Colli — the "Nine Hills" — is one of Italy's most famous and beloved gran fondos, drawing over 12,000 participants each year to Cesenatico, the hometown of the legendary Marco Pantani. The 200 km route tackles nine iconic climbs through the hills of Emilia-Romagna and the Republic of San Marino, accumulating 3,845 m of elevation gain. The climbs are not exceptionally long individually, but their relentless succession is what makes Nove Colli so demanding. You barely recover from one ascent before the next begins, and the final hills come when your legs are already deeply fatigued. The key is pacing: going conservative on the early climbs pays massive dividends on the back half of the course. Training should focus on repeated climbing efforts with incomplète recovery — think 6-8 hill repeats at tempo or sweet spot intensity with short descents between. Build your long ride distance to at least 160-180 km with significant climbing. Practice eating and drinking on the bike during climbs, as the constant up-and-down makes nutrition tricky.