Semi-serious pedaling in the Langa, for all seasons

The writer is a 47-year-old man with an unbridled passion for road biking. I own a black Trek with electronic shifting, disc brakes and standard carbon wheels purchased at Christmas 2023, so super recent.

Does that make me a serious, cool, pro cyclist?

No, on the contrary! I also end up looking like a loser, because I go just as fast (so to speak) as on my old bike, and you know: in the end, it’s only the legs that make the difference.

That’s fine with me; I didn’t buy it with performance ideas. I don’t call myself a serious cyclist, rather a tourist on a road bike.

My goal? To enjoy the ride, without performance anxiety, without obsessing about times and split times, but according to the philosophy of pedaling without hurry.

I live in Alba, and if from year to year I am more and more in love with my area, it is also thanks to the bicycle.

It is the one thing who led me to discover unfamiliar villages, climbs where to test perseverance and tenacity, and stop-off points for refreshments, because okay bars, but a plate of tajarin is certainly more satisfying.

The plan is simple: go up, eat, come back down

I have clearly in my mind, indeed in my nose, the scent of the ragouts in which I come across pedaling around lunchtime in the summer, when I ride through the small hamlets.

I know that many serious cyclists may turn their noses up at this, but how nice it is to stop after a ride of a few hours and realize that certain dishes are prepared by the world’s best chef: hunger!

And so off to small trattorias, eateries or wineries that not only offer wine tastings but also typical Langhe lunches.

Two wineries to mark down? Marrone in La Morra and Francesco Rosso in Santo Stefano Roero if you want to try a tasty lunch or just a dish accompanied by delicious wines.

If you prefer a quicker alternative, La Terrazza da Renza bar in Castiglione Falletto offers tasty traditional eats.

The wind can be your friend… Sometimes

Here’s a tip while we’re at it: bring a windproof jacket. Not so much for July or August, but for the mid-seasons, when you’re just fine in the sun and after a minute you’re freezing on a shady, slimy stretch.

There is no shortage of curves here, some half sunny and half shady, so damp and potentially treacherous.

So watch out for the temperature change, especially in the Alta Langa: if uphill the winter 6 degrees can be tolerated well, downhill is a different story. Starting from Murazzano at 750 meters and returning to Alba at 172 with the wind against you is a delight… But only if you are well covered!

My rule is simple: head, hands and feet must stay warm. Comfortable gloves, protective shoe covers and an under-helmet are essential to pedaling without pain and enjoying the ride.

Above the fog there is always sunshine

I don’t want to give you the impression that cycling between Langhe, Roero and Monferrato is just suffering. On the contrary!

It is pure luck to be in the hills on an early summer evening or in late spring, with the colors vivid and bright, or in autumn, when the vines are tinged with red and the low sun brings out every hue.

Or, going up into the hills in the colder months provides a unique spectacle: finding yourself pedaling under the sun, while the landscape below is bathed in a sea of fog and only the highest castles and villages emerge, like islands suspended in nothingness.

And then, with a cell phone in your pocket, you can capture the most Instagrammable places in the area. Any examples? The Belvedere of La Morra, and the core of the village of Monforte where right in Piazza Umberto I° you will find the Grappolo d’Oro bar and restaurant (a regular stop for many cyclists) and the Rocca wine shop.

Also in the municipality of Monforte, Cascina Sòt, a really interesting winery run by Maurizio Sanso and his family, is also worth a stop.

Do you like to sprint? Look for farmsteads

It may sound like a provocation, but in rare cases it might happen that a dog, hopefully with only playful intentions, decides to enliven your passage in front of the gate of his farmhouse. And you know, Langa dogs can guard very well!

No problem: you can continue to pedal calmly ignoring it or, as I often do, sprint in panic at 100 mph…. But remember: it can work if you are nice and fast or downhill. On uphill sections the quadruped will always go faster than you.

Is the Langhe busy?

The most diplomatic answer is: it depends on the period.

I keep my eyes wide open as I cross urban stretches to reach the climbs I choose to tackle that day.

In the spring, summer and especially in the fall, tourism increases, and with such a beautiful view, it is easy for some motorists to get distracted. Then we are in the hills, and it is very easy to encounter tractors on the road, especially at harvest time.

One simple but essential thing? A nice red LED light in the back and a front light that is always on, even during the day.

What do you say, see you in the saddle?

Useful info

• Plan a ride that is not too strenuous
• Take a look at altimetry and route taken by me