The best traffic-free bike rides around Pietranico

after 13 kilometers of climbing, it's a very appreciable refreshment stop

Very challenging climb, with very few places to catch your breath and several long stretches at 14%. The view, however, is truly beautiful and offers great satisfaction when you reach the end of the climb.

7. Stage of the Giro on 15.05.26

The history of the Eddy Merckx Monument, located in Roccamorice on the ramps leading to the Blockhaus, is a tale that inextricably links the Belgian champion to the Maiella massif, celebrating both sporting glory and human generosity. Its roots lie in a day that changed the history of mountain cycling: a stage of the 1970 Giro d'Italia, the first time the Giro challenged the summit of the Blockhaus. On that occasion, a young Merckx—soon known as the "Cannibal"—accomplished a momentous feat, outlasting all his opponents and securing a victory that became legendary. But it was a gesture that followed the victory that cemented the community's affection: it is said that Merckx, immediately after his triumph, donated the prize money to charity. To honor this dual legacy, sporting and moral, and in anticipation of the centennial of the Giro d'Italia, the municipality of Roccamorice promoted the erection of a monument. The work was created by local craftsman Franco Aceto and sculpted from the typical white Maiella stone, and was inaugurated on May 13, 2017. Since then, the monument has become a landmark and a true cycling sanctuary for all who tackle the climb, a tangible symbol of the strength, history, and altruism that have transformed the Blockhaus into a timeless legend.

The Cathedral of Saints Valentine and Damian (real name) in San Valentino in Abruzzo Citeriore (PE) is not only the spiritual center of the village, but also a tangible testimony to its millennia-old history. Its roots date back to around the year 1000, when the village, initially known as Castrum Petrae, became the burial place (and subsequent transfer of the bodies) of the Holy Martyrs Valentine and Damian, elevating the site to a pilgrimage destination and decreeing its name change. The current building is the result of a long process of destruction and rebirth, typical of Abruzzo towns. The most crucial moment was the great Maiella earthquake of 1706, which devastated much of the area and necessitated almost complete reconstruction. It was following this earthquake that the church took on its most distinctive character. The interior, in fact, is a magnificent example of sumptuous 18th-century Baroque, the result of restoration work carried out between 1777 and 1791. Here, the wide single nave unfolds beneath a richly decorated barrel vault, punctuated by pilasters with Corinthian capitals, creating an atmosphere of great elegance and sumptuousness. In stark contrast to this interior grace, the exterior boasts a powerful salient façade flanked by twin bell towers. This end block was added only more recently (between 1920 and 1931), designed by architect Antonio Liberi, giving the cathedral the monumental appearance we know today. Guardian of the remains of the patron saints and a symbol of the village's resilience after natural disasters, the cathedral perfectly embodies the faith and history of San Valentino in Abruzzo Citeriore.

It lacks nothing to be compared to many of the great Alpine climbs, 8% average for 19.6 from Roccamorice, the hardest and most panoramic side

very fresh water

The church of San Tommaso, of the natural pink color of the local stone, is located in the heart of the Majella National Park, in the hamlet of San Tommaso.