Sirente SuperBike – In the Footsteps of the Shepherds

The granfondo that follows in the footsteps of the shepherds

The Sirente SuperBike – In the Footsteps of the Shepherds is the mountain bike granfondo that has established Aielli, a small town in the Marsica region of the province of L'Aquila, as the Abruzzo capital of off-road cycling. The event takes riders along the ancient transhumance trails, paths that shepherds walked for centuries while leading their flocks to high-altitude pastures: a tribute, as the name suggests, to the pastoral culture that has shaped these Apennine territories.

A route around the Sirente massif

The unique and demanding track covers approximately 56 kilometers with 1,500 meters of elevation gain, forming a loop around the majestic Monte Sirente massif. The first section offers a scenic climb toward the high-altitude pastures, before crossing the territories of Celano, Ovindoli, Val d'Arano, Rovere, Secinaro, Gagliano Aterno, Collarmele, and Cerchio, returning finally to Aielli. It is a journey that ideally connects the Marsica, the Altopiano delle Rocche, and the Valle Subequana, within the perimeter of the Sirente-Velino Regional Park, amidst beech forests, meadows, and views of rare landscape beauty.

Sport, territory, and community

The race is part of the I Sentieri d'Abruzzo MTB challenger circuit and serves as the UISP Regional Granfondo Championship, attracting athletes from Abruzzo, Lazio, and Molise. But the Sirente SuperBike is also a community celebration: the organization is entrusted to the Aielli Alpine Group (ANA) together with the UISP Pescara-Chieti Territorial Committee, with the involvement of the local municipality and community. Showers, bike washing, a pasta party, and a race pack accompany the participants in an atmosphere that blends competition with local hospitality.

Aielli, the village of murals

The setting is Aielli, a village known throughout Italy for its large murals and the medieval tower that houses an astronomical observatory. Racing the Sirente SuperBike means discovering an authentic corner of inland Abruzzo, where mountains, pastoral traditions, and contemporary art coexist. An event that, launched in 2026 as the heir to the historic Sirente Bike Marathon, aims to become a classic in the mountain bike calendar of Central Italy.