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Leg 10

Giresun to Tbilisi

Ridden by the Pioneers — no longer available to book

This is the route and itinerary as it was planned for the ride, kept as a record of the journey so far. For legs you can still join, see the Book Now page.

Pioneers Leg 10 — Giresun to Tbilisi, June 2023
Dates
20th to 25th June 2023
Start
Giresun – 07.30 Tuesday 20th June 2023.
Finish
Tbilisi – 18.00 Sunday 25th June 2023.
Days Cycling
6
Distance
912 km
Total climbing
14,319 m climbing
Road Surface
100% Tarmac
Max capacity
90 including crew

Itinerary

  1. Pre-Start – Giresun 7.30pm 19th June 2023

    Drinks and dinner on the terrace at the pre-start hotel (same hotel as the Leg 9 Finish La Quinta by Wyndham ) on the night before the ride. It will be a great opportunity to register, pick up your shirts and see everyone again before the cycling begins the next morning. Please note the hotel & Dinner is included on the night before we leave Giresun.

  2. Day 1– Giresun to Gümüşhane – 154 km, 2,713 m total ascent

    We begin in a group convoy with Police Escort along the Black Sea to the first coffee stop overlooking the sea in Tribal. We then turn right inland to go up the Giresun Mountains. The day is a long a steady climb up to the mountain resort of Gümüşhane at 1,128 m. The roads are good condition and quiet with dramatic shear rock formations and an abundance of waterfalls. There are multiple tunnels but all bar one are well lit and quiet.

    Day 2 Ride with GPS Route

  3. Day 2 – Gümüşhane to Bayburt – 98 km, 1,478 m total ascent

    We start with a lie-in for undoubtedly the shortest day of all 10 legs so far. We begin with a climb up to 2 m in the first 32 km through similar rock formations as day 1. We then enjoy some gentle cycling in a very different landscape with large agricultural plains with snow capped mountains in the distance. Beautiful cycling on quiet roads all day.

    Day 3 Ride with GPS Route

  4. Day 3 – Bayburt to Yusufeli – 183 km, 2,173 m total ascent

    One of the best days ever! We spent the day following the fast flowing River Chorokhi and descend from a peak of 1,615 m to 579 m across the day. The total climbing shown by RidewithGPS is often exaggerated due to the near vertical rock formations alongside the road often artificially inflating the climbing. On the recce the total elevation gain measured 1,463 m but we also benefit from a massive elevation loss so we don’t expect the day be as hard as the distance suggests.

    The town of Yusufeli was flooded in April 2023 so the original road network has been totally replaced – mostly with lots of tunnels. We are now staying in cabins to the north of the original Yusufeli town. Long tunnels at the end of day.

    Day 4 Ride with GPS Route

  5. Day 4 – Yusufeli to Yavuzköy – 156 km, 4,009 m total ascent

    Another quiet day in the mountains! The first half of the day is on newly constructed roads with a total of 44 tunnels and relatively flat until lunch at Artzin after we have climbed out of the valley where we stay. Check out a great view of the new lake covering the old town after 16 km. After lunch at a Spa Hotel overlooking the Artvin dam we then have a climb out of Artzin and another long gradual ascent throughout the afternoon until we reach a resort in the mountains at Yavuzköy. The countryside and vegetation changes completely once we leave Artvin. Quiet roads all day. Dinner in a panoramic restaurant with stunning views across the mountains.

    Day 5 Ride with GPS Route

  6. Day 5 – Yavuzköy to Akhalalaki in Georgia! – 142 km, 2,583 m ascent

    Another stunning day which begins with a 1,067 m climb over the first 21 km to an elevation of 2,438 m! We continue much the same as day 4 on quiet mountain roads with dramatic scenery. We are finally rewarded with finishing the full length of Turkey as we cross the border into Georgia at a quiet boarder crossing alongside Lake Kartsakhi. We then cycle through the Javakheti National Park to our first Georgian evening in the small town of Akhalalaki – famed for it’s countryside, castle and slot machine casinos!

    Day 6 Ride with GPS Route

  7. Day 6 – Akhalalaki to Tbilisi – 179 km, 2.1 m ascent

    We leave the small town of Akhalalaki and start are final day into Tbilisi. It’s a relatively gentle day with outstanding scenery all day including lakes and the Algeti National Park. We are rewarded with a wonderful 21 km long descent off the mountains into Tbilisi. In total we start at nearly 1,829 m elevation and finish at 427 m so the total km will be offset by a lot of downhill.

    Day 7 Ride with GPS Route