From Muravera, we ride through the typical Sardinian villages of Ballao and Escalaplano on our way to the small village of Orroli. It's a stage full of up and downs with generally medium length climbs. Only the last stretch, right after Escalaplano, is rather long: about 7km inside a spectacular red granite canyon. After the climb a rewarding view on the Mulargia lake. A must-see site to visit during the stage is right at the end of the main climb: the Nuraghe Arrubiu, a massive and unique structure dating back 4000 years. And we can’t miss the Omu Axiu museum, which offers us a view of peasant history in Sardinia. Dinner and overnight in Orroli.

We rate this stage as super easy, as you can see from the specs there isn't much climbing and the meters down are more than the meters up. This is designed to give you time to enjoy the sights along the way. After leaving Orroli, we pass through Nurri, Gerrei, Barumini and Collinas on our way to Villanovaforru. In Barumini, we visit the 'Su Nuraxi' nuraghic complex, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Guided visits are frequent and in many languages, a wonderful opportunity to get a better understanding of the unique history of the island. In the village of Tuili we can visit the parish church with its lovely paintings. Dinner and overnight in Villanovaforru not far from the UNESCO site at Barumini.

61.9km | 323m | 593m | 3,5h

We leave central Sardinia and ride along grain fields and pastures towards the west coast: it's a very interesting area, and surprisingly totally flat. As we approach the coast we see a huge lagoon where fishing is still the main activity of thousand families. We will cross the bay and give you a chance to experience the fruits of theses small scale fishing operations with a nice fresh lunch in the fishing village of Marceddì. After lunch it is only a few more kilometers to our hotel, situated near a nice beach that awaits you. Dinner and overnight in Torre dei Corsari.

This is the most challenging stage of the whole trip. But, you'll get the reward of amazing views of the Costa Verde and it's very wild nature. First part of this stage is flat. The road begins to rise slightly as you approach the small village of Guspini, after which the climb becomes more challenging. Here you leave the coastline and ride into the heart of the Sardinian mining area, Montevecchio, with all the old mining facilities. You also ride through Arbus, known for fine handcrafted knives. After Arbus and the Bidderdì mountain pass, it's all descent - and what a descent - on a beautiful mountain road toward the sea where the ride ends at Portixeddu. Careful management of your energy, especially during the first part of this stage will allow you to easily tackle the more difficult climbs in the middle of it. Dinner and overnight in Portixeddu.

Before you leave the hotel it is very important to put a brand new memory card with many gigabytes in the camera: the stretch of coast you ride along on this stage, especially in its first part, is nothing short of spectacular. The coastline of Nebida, Buggerru and Masua has many climbs and many descents. But the time you'll spend on the uphills is never enough, as it allows you to better fix the memory of these breathtaking views in your mind. A stop at Cala Domestica is a must before tackling the biggest climb of the day. The second half of the day is mostly flat as we head toward Sant'Antico, where we overnight.

From Sant'Antioco you experience a series of ups and downs that characterize this stage. The stretch of coastal road from Porto Teulada to Chia is the highlight. Recognized as one of the most beautiful coastal roads in the world, this stretch features a variety of colors, very often pastels, in contrast with the deep blue sea. And, of course, there are the ever-present Aragonese towers that once protected the coastline. They’re from the time of the Spanish occupation of Sardinia. Overnight in Pula.