Finale - Molini Flow Tour

FAQ What is the trip in a nutshell?

Based on 8 nights arriving Saturday and departing the following Sunday in Finale Ligure and Molini. The trip is based on 14 riders, with 7 riding Molini first, and the other half riding Finale Ligure, crossing over mid week. The program includes breakfast every morning, lunches for every guiding day and 3 nights in local restaurants, a welcome, midweek dinner and a goodbye dinner. Uplifts and guides are provided for 6 days, as are your transfers from and to Nice Airport.

We run 1 van in each location, seating up to 7 riders. To make the experience as bespoke and efficient and therefore as fun as possible, there is a maximum of 7:1 guide to client ratio.

Example Riding Program

FINALE LIGURE

Day 1 - We'll make our way over to the Melogno area with a view to hitting up trails like Roller Coaster, Fast and Furious and Isallo Extasi. On the this side of the hill we have flow, rock, longer and some steep sections to get the blood pumping, after lunch we head straight up the famous Nato Base for 'chairlift laps' touring the upper Feglino trails with your guide and crew. We'll try to pack as many runs in here as we can. The riding here is considered the 'easiest' of Finale's trail network but is still a super fast, technical and challenging single track of varying length from 5 - 20 minute runs if completed in one hit. Ending with a long epic classic?

Day 2 - Adventure! We'll be doing some pedalling today, but it's worth every stroke, a couple of big uplifts to get as high as possible, from here depending on group level and experience we'll hit up the trails of Pietra Ligure, hike Monte Carmo or make our over to Calizzano and ride some gems such as Gobbo or Pian Fieno. Total pedal time around an hour, maybe more if the group are really keen.

Day 3 - Today we take you deeper into the back country to villages such as Castel Vecchio and Bardineto. Ancient mountain villages rediscovered with the help of local trail builders creating lines using the best of the stunning hills surrounding their homes. Some of the best trails you’ll ever ride.

Day 4 (Finale Ligure and Molini) - A well earned rest day, you'll be transferred to Molini, with an option to do a wine tasting, play paintball, hit up the beach, or even a quick lap or two in either location before packing up and taking the shuttle 1.5 hours to your new base. 

MOLINI

Day 1 - We'll load up the shuttle bus and head up the mountain road to begin a full uplifted day on the incredible dusty, rocky and rooty singletrack descents that await us on these classic Maritime Alps trails. You will ride the classic Molini trails including some of the most iconic trail in the Valle Argentina. We will start with some shorter flow trails such as Minigolf and Fantasy, to build up to more rocky and longer trails such as Fascisti or Partigiani. Lunch will be taken at 1600mt at the well known Allavena Refuge, sitting just in front of Toraggio, Pietravecchia and Monte Grai, some of the most beautiful mountains in the area, with home-made pasta and one of Marco’s special desserts. After lunch and another espresso we will ride Palazzo del Maggiore, into Val Nervia. Then back up with the shuttle, then you will experience Agrifoglio, the trail that we are most proud of, with its steep and rocky sections, technical corners, to finish with the its breath taking super fast rollercoaster. Then our final descent called Andagna Trail, takes us back directly into the village of Molini for a well deserved beer in the bar Gallo Nero.

Day 2 - Your first uplift will be to Drego’s view point, if you are lucky you can spot the mountains of Corsica. The trail is long, physical and varied, with a stop at the Saracen Tower which is over 1000 years old! Another uplift to Langan and a long and loamy descent onto Buggio trail which will take us down to Pigna for lunch in a bakery, huge salads, pizzas, freshly baked brioche and Cappuccino.

After lunch we’ll ride Love Tunnel, the rollercoaster of Molini, and then shuttle up to Monte Ceppo for a long descent of 1300mt to Badalucco, for gelato and maybe a cold beer.

Day 3 - The shuttle will drive you above Triora to let you warm up with a 10min pedalling and a spectacular descent through the Parco delle Alpi Liguri, into Verdeggia for a coffee. We’ll be driving up one of the most spectacular road in the valley, all the way to Sanson Pass, on the ridge that separates Italy and France.

Half hour pedalling will give us access to the Crete de Rionard trail, that runs from the saddle between Cima Marta and the Balconi di Marta, to La Brigue, 1430m below. Steep, loamy corners at the top, technical rocky ridge riding in the middle section and a super fast final section on a much drier terrain will take us through the village of La Brigue and to the Auberge Saint Martin for a proper meal with some tasty daily specialities to choose from.

The drive back will be a 15km on a gravel road on the Route de l’Amitié. Half hour pedalling will take us to the entrance of  Gerbonte. 8km and 1400mt of pure adrenaline through the forest, amongst some of the biggest and oldest trees of the Valley. At the bottom a quick refreshment at the river pool will give us the energy to climb 15 min back to the main road and jump on the van for the last descent into Molini, a short and intense ancient mule trail that will slowly lead us back home after one of the most epic MTB day of your life.

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These days then become the finishing days in the next zone, IE Finale Ligure days 1, 2 and 3 are repeated for the group that start the tour in Molini.

The experience is tailored to the clients and conditions, so the program may change to what is written here.

Please check your flight times with us before you book them to avoid long wait times at the airport, sometimes this is inevitable but we try to minimise it as much as possible with prior information from you. Some flights from Ireland and Scotland have late arrival times so please do check before booking them.

Please note we are unable to pick up flights scheduled to land after 18h, unless delayed and out of your control.

Transfer times can be flexible depending on the groups we have coming in, but we operate 2 transfers during the day.

Transfers are included to or from Nice airport, on Sundays only. For any other day please enquire for a price.

Approximate / Example Transfer Times

Morning

Depart Finale Ligure / Molini 0800h - Arrive Nice 0945h

Depart Nice 12h - Arrive Finale Ligure / Molini 1345h

Evening

Depart Finale Ligure / Molini 15h - Arrive Nice 1645h

Depart Nice 1730h - Arrive Finale Ligure / Molini 1915h

If flight times mean a van needs to leave a little earlier or a little later, provided it is possible with timings and other clients booked, then these times may be adjusted.

If your only option is to book a flight coming in later in the evening, we advise looking at the previous day, taking an airport hotel and being picked up on the first transfer available. This also get you a good nights sleep and more time in your destination!

We will not leave you stranded at the airport if such a delay occurs.

Wait Times

Wait times may occur and cannot be foreseen until all bookings are in our system, we will try and keep these to less than 1 hour but it maybe more, possibly up to 4 hours, though this is unlikely and has never occured before without flight delays causing the issue. We will advise on best pick up location, it can change depending on the terminal you are flying in to, and what other riders needs may be, or if we have a trailer attached.

Wait times may apply to arrivals and departures. IE We may drop clients at the airport 4 hours before they are required to be there for check in.

If you do not want to wait a private transfer or the train is an option. Fees are dependent on dates and availability.

Please be aware Genoa / Milan Airport pick ups are not possible, if flying into either of these airports, the train is the only viable form of transport beyond us booking you a separate (charged) taxi service.

To secure your place on the rider's week A 30% per person, booking deposit is required. Deposits are non refundable and the full balance is due 8 weeks before your arrival.

There is the option of sharing a single, twin/double or triple room, please advise on booking what you would prefer.

Pricing is reflected in your choice, with the advertised price being based on a twin/double share.

This is an eventuality we can not control, the decision not to shuttle is that of Finale Outdoor Resort. We will always move our rest day to compensate in the first instance. Further days cancelled in Finale Ligure mean we will do our very best to ride other zones nearby, though they are often subject to the same rules and conditions we are in Finale Ligure.

This decision is taken for the safety of the public riding, safety of the roads and can be taken due to the rapid degradation of the trail network.

We cannot ignore severe weather warnings and though we will do everything we can to ride, in the event of a severe weather alert, any guide riding with clients will have no insurance in the event of any accident. With the added risk of access by emergency services being limited in extreme weather we must put client safety first. (The woods are vast, dense and hard to get to in certain points, having relied on helicopters to evacuate riders in the past we know what could have been, so we will not to take unnecessary risks).

Any change in resort is dependent on the availability of their shuttle service and weather conditions there.

Can I change the arrival and departure dates?

The departure and arrival dates are fixed, but contact us on info@atlasrideco.com and we can look at building you a private package. To note the tour is based on 7 people in each destination and 14 people over the week, therefore any custom tour may be more expensive as we cannot pool resources.

Can I travel to a different airport?

Transfers can be arranged from Genoa or Milan airports, subject to availability and a surcharge. 

Can I get uplifts if I arrive earlier enough on the arrival day? Or if I arrive the day before? Or on my departure day? Or on the down day?

Yes, though we would need to arrange them for you and there would be an additional fee per person.

What are the options at dinner?

Each night is different but generally we organise a menu for you, dietary requirements are considered. Local trattorias, osterias and restaurants are the destinations of choice.

I have a dietary requirement or choice?

Most dietary requests can be catered for, though please advise us on booking. Please contact us before booking if you have a medical dietary necessity to ensure your needs can be met.

Can I opt out from the restaurant dinners?

Sure, just let us know on booking. The price will be reduced.

What do you do for lunch?

When uplifting we stop at various Osteria's and Trattoria's around the area, it varies from day to day. The food is always delicious and homemade, often served by some great personalities! We stop for around 1 hour for lunch, it is usually an anti pasti, followed by a main course, dessert and coffee. These are included in the price.

Is there anything like a bar, shop or bike shop where the accommodation is?

In Finale Ligure,yes, you are less than 5 minutes walk from central Finale Ligure. There are shops, banks and restaurants metres from our front door.

In Molini, barely, Molini has the basic necessities to sustain life, riding, a bar, and a handful of shops where you can buy water, a toothbrush, a bottle of wine and snacks.

Your accommodation has a small hire shop and workshop, but very limited spare parts.

How many trails will we ride each day?

Depending on the length of the trails and long it takes to get to them between 5 and 10 roughly.

How hard are the trails we will be riding?

There are no easy top to bottom trails in Finale Ligure, they all present their challenges but they are all amazingly fun. You should be able to ride red runs with absolute confidence and be able to negotiate most black runs in the UK. Trails are not graded in Finale Ligure, but most have technical features that would be on black runs anywhere in the world. Read more in our Ability Assessor.

In Molini, also quite difficult, the riding here is varied between flowy, technical, tight and high alpine single track. There is exposure in places and there are some trails with demanding switchback sections. There are very few jumps or man made obstacles, you'll find roots and rocks and most lines.

What is the ability of other people on the trip? Will I be with slower or faster riders?

This varies. We try our best to advise clients on booking to follow our ability assessor and let us know where they think they will be at on Finale Ligure's trails. If they do this we are able to advise which week will best suit them depending on who else has booked. If you are concerned about being too slow or fast for a group please talk to us. We strongly advise to be realistic in your ability, for your own safety and confidence.

This tour is best suited to private groups of up to 7 people.

Is there any pushing or pedalling?

Yes, but not too much. Around 100m - 250m vertical each day maximum. Some days will be less.

Recommended bike?

We would recommend an aggressive enduro bike. It should be well maintained and modern so that parts can be sourced if they break. We suggest a minimum of 140mm/150mm travel and DH casing tyres are highly recommended.

You should bring a full face helmet, hydration pack and all the protective equipment you would feel comfortable wearing.

Can I hire a bike?

Yes there is an option to rent directly from us a Specialized Enduro, or other hire bike options. Check out Finale Ligure MTB Hire.

What is the average cost of an evening out?

A pint of Italian pilsner will set you back between €4.50 and €6 depending on where and when you buy it. Dinner in a decent restaurant will cost you around €10 - €25 per main course.

Will I need insurance?

Absolutely. With the UK's departure from the EU your EH111 card no longer covers medical care. 

You are required as part of your booking to have personal injury insurance and we also recommend cancellation insurance.

If you are travelling from the UK please use  - Yellow Jersey Cycle Insurance

Since 2017 we have partnered with Yellow Jersey Mountain Bike Insurance to provide professional mountain bike holiday and personal bike insurance policies to our clients. All our clients receive a 15% discount code in your booking confirmation. 

Yellow Jersey Cycle Insurance

If you are traveling from outside of the UK we can recommend World Nomads

Make sure you set your residence location using the flag icon top left

You are required as part of your booking to have personal injury insurance and we also recommend cancellation insurance.

If you are travelling from the UK please use  - Yellow Jersey Cycle Insurance

Since 2017 we have partnered with Yellow Jersey Mountain Bike Insurance to provide professional mountain bike holiday and personal bike insurance policies to our clients. All our clients receive a 15% discount code in your booking confirmation. 

Yellow Jersey Cycle Insurance

If you are traveling from outside of the UK we can recommend Bikmo

Make sure you set your residence location using the flag icon top left