Capoliveri Bike Park - Ripa Est

Departure / Arrival: Capoliveri
Length: 16km
Technical difficulty: medium. The route consists of a pleasant, coastal dirt track that runs alongside beaches with crystal cear water, a challenging, winding up and downhill track and a constantly changing uphill and downhill single track.
Total difference in height: 540 m
Surface: 25% tar, 15%d dirt track, 60% single track

This route takes its name from the Monte Calamita promontory where the Capoliveri Bike Park sits. The first part of the route is the same as the Calamita route: it starts from Piazza del Cavatore in Capoliveri (164m above sea level) and coninues downhill along a tarred road for approximately 3 km and this gets you to the [page id"325"]beach in Straccoligno[/page] and, after a quick uphill cycle, on to the nearby beaches of Ferrato] and Malpasso.

At this point the road becomes a dirt track and after  one or two uphill and downhill parts which require your attention you arrive at Calanova beach where you have to go through a barrier. Following the flat, coastal road that takes you to the beaches of Istia and Buzzancone you then have to  take a right turn and follow the winding, uphill climb.

Several bends further along and after approximately 2,5 km of different road levels you turn left to take the  Ripa Est route and tackle the last part before getting your breath back. This part is a single track that starts off with a slight downhill part,  then leads on to a spacious panorama of the Tuscan coastline.

Once past this scenic area you go uphill again until you suddenly find yet another downhill single track that soon runs alongside a small lake until you find yourself in a long, tarred road. Turn left and follow this forest dirt track that is very near the Tenuta delle Ripalte riding school (217 metres above sea level) and is easy to get to should you want to top up your drinking water or stop for a bite to eatIf you wish to reach the track for Ripa Est just turn instead right and go uphill as far as Poggio Fino (307 metres above sea level), which is a sort of clearing with several roads branching off from it.

To your right, go through a barrier and cycle along a short  flat road that  that leads to another junction, and here you have to keep leftsharp, left turn, follow the long return,single track 

This part runs along the eastern side of the mountain, with some easy junctions and continual uphill and downhill parts, some of which have significant bends that then get you back to the town.

Up till approximately half way along, this single track you have to go slightly downhill getting to a road that is more challenging and the downhill road becomes more windy and narrow; here there are rocks along the track and farther along you will have to cross a stream with three underground pipes.

Here the track goes uphill and is a bit twisted then widens again and becomes more level until you get to Cessa della Feccia, a firebreak that opens out to Mola bay, the town of Porto Azzurro and Forte Focardo. Once here you go downhill along the firebreak for about ten metres then turn left at the second half of the single track but this time it is mostly uphill, with three parts that are more and more challenging, and you will then be back in Capoliveri.

In the final part of this single track, after several pleasant uphill and downhill parts you will start to see the first town buildings so go past the valley then turn left on a short, steep uphill road that opens out to a wide forest area. Cross it turn right and go downhill and now you can tackle the last few uphill and downhill kilometres. The final part is uphill  and gets you to a junction where it's better to keep right, and these final bends get you to Piazza del Cavatore (164 metres above sea level).