Granfondo santini bormio - June 2023

Quick

Hi,

Anyone done or doing this event? Looking to get from Bergamo/Milan to Bormio. Transfer is pretty pricey for 3 lads with bike boxes, €750 return. It's about €1200 to rent a van.

Anyone know of alternatives apart from renting a van they have used or using this year?

Cheers

fat bloke

That sounds very dear. Have you shopped around for rentals? Id have thought you'd get a small car each for that kind of money!

Is there a left luggage option at the airport maybe? Leave the boxes and take the bikes in a more regular hatchback rental? Or price up an mpv that you can fold seats flat on? Citroën Berlingo type thing?

Two cars is another option. 2 lads and 2 boxes and one lad and 1 box?

It's a great event and route either way.

beggars_bush

Car/van hire is astronomical all across Europe this summer

Astartes

You can get a train from Milan to Tirano then a bus to Bormio. The busses are kitted for Ski/snowboard storage so shouldn't be a problem with the bikes just a bit of lugging needed. I am very familiar with Bormio so feel free to send me a DM

Large bottle small glass

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120543313#Comment_120543313

Car hire companies use to rent pretty close to cost previously; making their money on selling insurances, extra etc but primarily in dealing cars.

A smart car hire company would buy in bulk, with massive rebates, and often but end of line or a specific make or model that wasn't selling, distributor needing to move stock etc etc. They would then sell cars at less than 12 months old often at a profit

Tenzor07

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058294747/granfondo-santini-bormio-june-2023

Forget about public transport to that part of the country, I've driven from Bergamo to the Livigno area and it's a tiring enough drive never mind having to transport yourselves + bikes and luggage into Milan central station and then onto a train/bus... will take you the entire day so not good when you need the energy for the event!

I checked Centauro car rental and you can get a Nissan Townstar for 3 days for under €100 a day!

07Lapierre

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120546409#Comment_120546409

Maybe in the past, but not anymore. More profit selling cars retail. rental companies are usually at the bottom of the pecking order when supply of new vehicles is scarce.

fat bloke

Yeah, we were in Calpe a couple of weeks ago and one of our party rented a Ford jeep thingy for 140 quid total for 4 days. Centaur as well.

Car rental went mad there for a couple of years but my impression was that that was no longer the case.

Quick

Just an update that may or may not help some people.

Went with https://airportstaxitransfers.com/ in the end. It worked out at €780 return for three people with bags and 3 bike boxes. It sounds expensive but to be honest it was worth it.

The driver WhatsApp'd me when I landed. Was waiting for us in the arrivals area. 2 min walk to the van, drove 3 hours to bormio and dropped to the door of the accommodation.

On the return got a call at 12 noon on the dot, the (different) driver was outside in a new Merc Van and dropped to arrivals. No stress at all!

Rented a car the last few years and its always a total hassle. Getting a bus from arrivals to the rental place, queue in the heat and hope they have a car big enough that you booked to take all the gear. The hassle of dealing with the person trying to upsell you on insurance and extras, driving to the location, having to find a petrol station on the way back before you drop it off. Not to mention taking photos of the piece of shite van they have rented you with bangs all over it. Took me 2 months to get 1000 deposit from the place in France last year and they kindly kept €100 for themselves!

I wont be renting a van ever again for these trips, this way was so easy!

Pity it pissed rain for the entire Santini Stelvio. Never been so cold in my life!!!

Tenzor07

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120689246#Comment_120689246

There's a lot to be said for having your own driver/taxi especially when you can spread the cost with other people sharing, and you're not paying to keep a rental car parked outside your hotel for the days it's not being used.. Driving those mountain roads on the "wrong side" of the road in the Italian Alps is stressful too..

Quick

There were on three of us this year. Enough room for a 4th bike box too which would have spread the costs even more. You're right, most towns are all walkable so no need for the car once you get there!

fat bloke

Aw man. Bad luck on the weather. I'd say that was horrendous!!

Quick

Descending the Mortirolo was brutal. Shoes were filled with about an inch of water, couldnt feel feet, hands were spasming with the cold and took an hour to get down. What doesnt kill you though eh!? I dont know how I didnt get a cold from it :)

fat bloke

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120690623#Comment_120690623

Jesus Christ, well if going DOWN the Mortirolo sticks out as the worst, then it must truly have been an appalling experience!!!

What the hell was it like at the top of Stelvio? - Were you soaking wet climbing into 2 degrees C and snow?

I did that route in the blazing sun and Stelvio was still freezing. Needed full winter kit for the descent home.

Quick

They closed Stelvio at 12 as it was snowing!

Two friends went up it on Monday and it was freezing, starting to snow, visibility was brutal and you can imagine the descent.

Some lad was going up it with full front and back panniers. They think it took him 5 hours as they saw him leave the town at 9 and he wasn't at the top at 1!!

Im going to Palma next year, no more cold nonsense!! 😆

mr spuckler

There's so much luck involved in terms of timing of when you head to the high mountains. I've been at the top of Stelvio in August when it was freezing (glorious day in Bormio when I got back down) and in July when it was around 15 degrees up top!

I've a mate climbing it today and it looks like they got lucky - 9 degrees and clear at the top right now and hopefully they get their 2 ascents done in time before the weather changes for the worse this afternoon.

Quick

Totally agree. This was the 5th or 6th trip to a Grand Fondo. I think we will just rent a house for a few days do 60/70km each day and not put all the eggs in one basket like we have done. We have been lucky so far with weather and mechanicals.

Stelvio the day the lads climbed it, taken out the window of the restaurant!

otnemem

The Maratona seems like a safer bet 😂