profile
map
technical info
Another highly undulating stage dotted with climbs of varying difficulty, with at least nine categorized ascents, some of which are designated as KOMs. Starting in Ascoli Piceno, the route crosses Croce di Casale, Amandola, Sarnano, and Tolentino, heading steadily north. It skirts the slopes of Monte San Vicino before entering the challenging final section. After Castelleone di Suasa, the route hits the town of Pergola for the first time (without crossing the finish line) and tackles the climbs of Barbanti and Monterolo, which feature long steep sections and challenging descents. The second passage goes through the center of Pergola before reaching the finish line.
Last kilometers
The final kilometers are partially downhill and flatten out as the route enters the city. In the very last kilometer, the road begins to rise slightly. The finishing straight is 7 meters wide, on asphalt, with a gentle uphill gradient.
start / finish
final kilometres
itinerary timetable
tourist info
Host city:
Ascoli Piceno
Pergola
Overview
In the heart of Marche region, in the province of Pesaro Urbino, between the Adriatic Sea and Mountain Catria, stands Pergola. The city boasts two thousand years of history, from the era of the Golden Roman statues to the present day. The dating of its foundation is disputed among historicals: there are those who fix its birth in 1234 (date of its fortification), and there are those who, on the other hand, traces its origin to many centuries before. Rich in history, culture, art and traditions, Pergola is the city of the Bronzi Dorati – to date, it is the only model in the world of a sculptural group made of gilded bronze from the Roman age. The sculptures, for their extraordinary grandeur, beauty and suggestion, are like no other and are preserved in a museum rich of unforgettable rarities. Pergola is part of the association “I Borghi più Belli d’Italia” (“Italy’s Most Beautiful Towns”). Curiosity: The numerous churches present in the village, have attributed to Pergola the nickname of “Santa Pergoletta” or “City of a hundred churches”, sign of religiosity and strong traditions.
Food
The city can boast excellent food and wine products, in particular, preparation related to truffle, in fact, Pergola is the “City of Truffles all year round” thanks to an high quality and plentiful annual production. The Golden Roman statues (Bronzi Dorati) and Truffles represent the “Golds of Pergola”: reference is made to the masterpiece created in first century and kept in the city museum, which represents a Roman sculptural group without equals in terms of majesty and finesse in detail.
On the other hand, the precious tuber harvested in Pergola’s woods excels both for the intensity of its smell and for the quantity produced. The gold of the earth can be savored in all seasons in its different scents and varieties: starting from His Majesty, the prized White Truffle (Tuber Magnatum Pico), up to the prized Black Truffle.
This precious product is celebrated every year on the first three Sundays of October, when Pergola hosts the National Fine White Truffle Fair which attracts thousands and thousands of visitors from all over Italy and beyond.
Vino e bevande
The town is known for its wine – Pergola, in fact, is the youngest D.O.C. (Controlled Designation of Origin) in the Province of Pesaro-Urbino (2005). Pergola D.O.C. wine tells the story of a peculiar red grape variety: Aleatico is one of the oldest variety of grapes widespread along the Apennines. Back when people from Gubbio founded the town of Pergola (1234 d.c.), they chose to plant Aleatico grapevines on the Grifoleto hill. A few centuries later, more specifically in 1520, the vine gained notoriety and ever since then it has been considered particularly valuable, so much so that it was used as a bargaining chip with Umbria for the import of olive oil. Local farmers used to plant Aleatico in the center of their vineyards, so that hunters would not easily take the bunches.
Another valuable wine product is Visciolato which, unlike Aleatico, is sweet. In Pergola the cultivation of sour cherries (“visciole”) is widespread above all for pairing with wine: in fact, Visciolato is a famous drink made with wine and macerated sour cherries with the addition of sugar. The result is a sweet and fragrant wine, that pairs perfectly with traditional biscuits and desserts also with the addition of chocolate. Visciolato is also the leading actor of an annual event, CioccoVisciola, scheduled in December.
Points of Interest
The tour of the city can only start from the museum, which houses unique treasures in the world. The route, organized as a suggestive walk through the streets of the city through the architectural works of its palaces and its most beautiful churches, leads us in front of the “four most beautiful bronze statues in the world”: the Golden Bronze Statues discovered in Cartoceto (Pergola) rappresent the only sculptural group made of gilt bronze from the Roman era existing in the world. Nine quintals of bronze and gold were masterfully forged two thousand years ago and are now exhibited in this museum. The museum is located in the fourteenth-century ex-convent of San Giacomo and collects works of significant historical and artistic interest from the municipal territory. The four sections that form the museum pole are divided around the cloister. The archaeological section is composed of polychrome mosaics and sets of tombs from the Roman age found in the area. The other sections are Numismatics, Art-History and Risorgimento.
The long subjugation of Pergola to the Papal States meant that the places of worship were numerous and of fine architecture. The Gothic Church of San Giacomo is one of the oldest; not far from it, the Church of San Francesco, founded by the Franciscans in 1255, has a beautiful fourteenth-century portal with an acute sixth in sandstone. The Cathedral is magnificent, and manages to combine the original Romanesque-Gothic style of the bell tower with the late Baroque interior and the neoclassical facade. Baroque are also the interiors of three other churches: that of the Three Wise Men in Santa Maria dell’Assunta, Santa Maria delle Tinte and San Biagio. Also worth mentioning is the Church of Santa Maria di Piazza, one of the oldest in the city, and the Oratory of the Ascension at Palazzolo: both house frescoes representing one of the highest moments of 15th-century fresco painting in Marche.
The Town Hall is also worth a visit. In the Council Hall is exposed glazed terracotta of Robbiana School from the early sixteenth century.
The Theatre “Angel Dal Foco”, set in the old warehouses of the Monte di Pietà (pawnshop), is one of the architectural excellences of the city. It has a particular iron-mule shaped plant to fit the structure, and has three orders of boxes, platea and loggia. The construction (18th-century) dates back to when Pergola was elevated to the rank of City. It hosts a prominent theatrical season.