Nove Colli

The Nove Colli is a gran fondo that starts and finishes on the seafront at Cesenatico, on the Romagna coast of Emilia-Romagna. The 56th edition takes place on Sunday 23 May 2027, according to the organiser’s website. It is a mass-start, timed cyclosportive with three options: a 200 km long route with nine climbs in the Romagna hills, a 137 km medium route and a 107 km gravel route. Riders are placed in start grids printed on their bibs, and all routes start and finish at the Colonia Agip.

Routes and distances

The organiser’s 2027 pages list three routes; the climb-by-climb detail below comes from the route page as published for the 2026 edition.

The long route (Granfondo) covers 200 km with 3,814 m of climbing, a maximum altitude of 791 m and a maximum gradient of 18%. It has nine climbs: Polenta, Pieve di Rivoschio, Ciola, Barbotto, Montetiffi, Perticara, Monte Pugliano, Passo delle Siepi and Gorolo.

The medium route covers 137 km with 1,872 m of climbing and a maximum altitude of 507 m. It shares the first four climbs with the long route: Polenta, Pieve di Rivoschio, Ciola and Barbotto.

The gravel route covers 107 km with 1,798 m of climbing on mixed terrain, a maximum altitude of 450 m and a maximum gradient of 16%. The organiser describes nine climbs.

On the long route, the bunch covers 28 km at more than 40 km/h after leaving the Colonia Agip, so the opening hour is a fast, flat ride inland from the coast. The first real test is Barbotto at km 91: 5.5 km at 6.9% on average, with a maximum of 18%.

The longest climb is Monte Pugliano at km 130, 9 km at 5.6% on average. The last hill is Gorolo at km 162, 4 km at 6% with a maximum of 17%, which returned to the route in 2026 according to the organiser. After that, the road heads back towards Cesenatico and the sea.

Practical notes: the organiser asks riders to carry a bike in good condition, an approved helmet, the bib number and bike plate, charged electronic devices, a mechanical emergency kit and clothing suitable for the weather. Several roads have traffic restrictions and temporary closures in the hours before the start, so arrive early. Start times and time limits were not stated on the pages we read, so check the official website. Gravel riders who hold a granfondo bib should not fit the timing chip to their bike and line up in the gravel grid. In 2026 a road closure forced a change to the gravel route (the GPX track was unchanged), so follow signage and volunteers on the day.

Registration

Online registration for the 2027 edition opens on Saturday 5 December 2026 at 12:00 and closes on Monday 3 May 2027 at 12:00. The road routes have three price tiers: Early at €110 (5 December 2026 to 15 January 2027), Mid at €120 (16 January to 15 April 2027) and Last at €130 (16 April to 3 May 2027). On-site entry for the road routes costs €150 on Friday 21 and Saturday 22 May, during race pack distribution.

The gravel route costs €50 with no price changes, and can also be booked on site. A Dream Team entry at €300 adds a special jersey, an official presentation at the Village and a start from the first grid, with part of the fee going to charity.

For the 2026 edition, bibs and technical envelopes were collected on the Friday and Saturday before the race, 9:00 to 21:00, at the Palazzo del Turismo in Viale Roma, with the Nove Colli Village in Piazza Andrea Costa; the 2027 schedule had not been published on the pages we read. In 2026 every race number came with an exclusive Nove Colli jersey produced by Gobik; check whether the same applies in 2027.

Full details are on the official website.

Why ride it

The hills behind Cesenatico give this gran fondo its character: nine named climbs on the long route, from the gentle Polenta to the 18% maximum on Barbotto. The 2026 edition was the 55th and 2027 will be the 56th, so the Nove Colli has a long track record. The organiser reported riders from 43 nations on the start line in 2026. Long road, medium road and gravel routes all start from the same seafront base.

Where to stay

Staying in or near Cesenatico makes sense: you can collect your bib and visit the Village the day before, and you can ride to the start without a car, which the organiser recommends if your hotel is in town. Both of our certified hotels cater to riders with bike storage, workshops and guided rides.

Lungomare Bike Hotel in Villamarina di Cesenatico, about 4 km from the start. A Gold certified hotel run by hoteliers since 1954 with more than 40 years of cycling activity, in the town it calls the motherland of Marco Pantani. It has a large bike room with security cameras, a workshop with compressor, a washing corner, mechanics on hand, a gym with sea view, a heated salt-water pool and a spa with sauna and Turkish bath. The Loveria restaurant serves breakfast, a post-training buffet and dinner, and the hotel offers daily guided rides and more than 100 designed tours from 45 to 210 km.

Oxygen Cycling Hotel in Rimini, about 16 km from the start. A Bronze certified hotel devoted to cycling for 10 years, 5 km from Rimini centre. It has a bike garage with video surveillance, an internal workshop, bike rental, a pool, laundry and massage, a post-ride snack time, and a shuttle to and from the station or airport. A good option if you want a base in Rimini with tailored tours of Romagna.

Book early, as rooms near the start fill up for race weekend. You can also browse more cycling-friendly accommodation.