exUSSR 2017

BIG Cycling trip in Georgia

TOUR 1 in Lesser Caucasus

From Wednesday 2nd August 2017 to Sunday 6 August 2017

Participants registered: Kevin Speed and Axel Jansen

Day 1 – Wednesday 2nd August – Tbilisi – Tsalka

  • 87km – 2,270 m. elevation – max. 1,642 m. – 2 BIG

  • Openrunner ID 7469152

  • The hardiest day of this Tour 1

  • Tarmac – except between Manglisi and Tsalka (roadwork in progress)

  • Hotel Tsalka or Trialeti

BIG 1

From Mikheil Meskhi Stadium (Tbilisi) – 500 m

To Didgori (cross Road Tbilisi-Ninotsminda) – 1,335 m

ID 7448769

Max 8%

16 km

BIG 2

From Agleti River – down of Manglisi – on the road Tbilisi-Ninotsminda – 1,023 m

To top of the hill (Gokhnari next to Tba Lake) – 1,641 m

ID 7448859

Max 7%

14.5 km

Day 2 – Thursday 3rd August – Tsalka – Akhalkalaki

  • 87km – 1,500 m. elevation – max. 2,319 m. – 1 BIG

  • Openrunner ID 7469194

  • Tarmac on the main road (including BIG) – gravel for the rest

  • Hotel Ararat or Artsegi

BIG 3

From Sakdrioni – on the road Tbilisi-Ninotsminda – 1,525 m

To xxx Pass (between Kvemo Kartli and Samtskhe Javakheti) – 2,169 m

ID 7448887

Max 10%

15 km

Day 3 – Friday 4 August – Akhalkalaki – Vardzia

  • 125km – 1,260 m. elevation – max. 2,467 m. – 1 BIG

  • Openrunner ID 7469212 and 7469226

  • Tarmac until Tskhratskaro Pass then gravel to Tabatskuri Lake, Akhalkalaki (some tarmac) and Vardzia (last part not on Openrunner)

  • Guesthouse in Vardzia or Nakalakevi

  • Vardzia where

BIG 4 – Tskhratsko Pass / Zkhratskaro Ughelt / BIG 1775

From Ghado (road M-20 Akhalkalaki-Borjomi) – 1,802 m

To Tskhratsko Pass – 2,468 m

ID 7448912

Max. 7%

17 km

Day 4 – Saturday 5 August – Vardzia - Akhaltsikhe

  • 100km – 1,800 m. elevation – max. 1,819 m. – 2 BIG

  • Openrunner ID 7469246

  • Vardzia – Apnia – Vardzia – Akhaltsikhe – Sapara Monastery – Akhaltsikhe

    • Gravel between Vardzia and Apnia and (probably or partly) between Aspindza and Muskhi

  • Plenty of Hotels available in Akhaltsikhe

BIG 5 = From Vardzia to Apnia = 1,239 to 1,745 m = 506 m elevation = 9.3 km = Max 8% = ID 7417560

BIG 6 = From Akhaltsikhe to Sapara Monastery = 979 to 1,323 m = 344 m elevation = 9.3 km = Max 10% = ID 7417722

Day 5 – Sunday 6 August – Akhaltsikhe - Khashuri

  • 80km – 500 m. elevation – max. 990 m. – 0 BIG

  • Openrunner ID 7469269

  • Then train at 15h00 from Khashuri to Tbilissi

TOUR 2 in Kakheti and Trialeti Ridge

To be cycled before or after Tour 1

Day 6 – Tbilisi – Telavi

  • 123km – 2,370 m. elevation – max. 1,637 m. – 2 BIG

  • Openrunner ID 7450162

  • Hotel Old Telavi

BIG 7 = From Mamkoda to Tskhvarichamia = 680 to 1,439 m = 759 m elevation = 16 km = BIG 1769 = ID 7449720

BIG 8 = From Sasadilo to Gomborskiy pereval = 800 to 1,556 m = 756 m elevation = 12 km = BIG 1771

Day 7: Telavi - Mtskheta

  • 115km – 1,510 m. elevation – max. 1,326 m. – 1 BIG

  • Openrunner ID 7450194

  • Hotel Old Capital

BIG 9 = From Akhmeta to Sabue = 540 to 1,178 m = 638 m elevation = 12 km = BIG 1770

Day 8: Mtskheta – Tbilisi

  • 90km – 2,100 m. elevation – max. 1,828 m. – 1 BIG

  • Openrunner ID 7450209

BIG 10 = From Akhali-Nichbisi to Top of the Road Nichbisi-Digdori = 586 to 1,829 m = 21.8 km = 3rd km at 13% = ID 7450106 = Partly or totally gravel

 

Other ideas / Alternatives

From Akhaltsikhe (end of Day 4) you can climb (possible in 1 day)

  • BIG 11 = Goderdzi pass = 1,000 to 2,025 m = 1,025 m elevation = 52 km = BIG 1876

  • BIG 12 = Zekaris ughelt = 2,182 m = BIG 1774

 

From Khashuri (end of Day 5) you can climb (round tour in 1 day)

  • BIG 13 = Suramis ughjelt (East side) = from 752 to 949 m = 7.5 km = ID 7448912 = BIG 1773

  • BIG 14 = from Ubisa Monastery to Rikotis ughelt (West side) = from 289 to 1,009 m = 29 km = ID 7448965 = BIG 1772

 

If you are interested to join us, please contact Kevin Speed or Axel Jansen

SOME MAPS