Sardinia is bigger than Wales and has higher mountains, and I and two colleagues are just finishing documenting for Italy’s main mountain sports publisher Versante Sud 70-odd mountain bike routes in central and southern Sardinia (where the mountains are, BTW) with a mix of XC and technical “Alpine” singletrack, often by the Mediterranean’s best coast. The guide, one of a series which includes Ticino, Valle d’Aosta and Lecco and Bergamo (all in Alps) will be published around Xmas 2011 IN ITALIAN. I am trying to work out whether there’s a market for an ENGLISH translation.

Many people (including Italians) know Sardinia only for its beaches. The two riders from N Italy who I took to Punta La Marmora, the island’s highest point 1834 m on Sunday exclaimed, “Wow, it’s just like the Dolomites here!”
and added, “But from the Dolomites you can’t see the sea!”
Northern Italian riders like these are starting to discover Sardinia. Here’s a photo of mine 🙂 from June’s MB Action Italian edition

and the text says, “Sardinia has a thriving MTB scene which’ll soon be revealed to the world with the publication of new guides. This photo is a first taste of the mountains which rise to over 1000 m within 20 km of the coast and where you can ride in winter! [The weather conditions in N Italy are not too different from those in UK]. In the photo Davide rides the muletrack of the Codula Sa Mela Urzulei Supramonte. Photo Peter http://www.mountainbikeogliastra.it“

The last guide to mountain bike in Sardinia was published 20 years ago, so another is well overdue. Do people think there’d be a market for an English translation? Would they be interested in coming to a relatively undeveloped destination where they can combine XC and AM riding on natural trails with a beach holiday? I don’t decide, it’s up to the publisher, but your comments would be welcome.

Thanks Peter

Could you release .gpx files, already translated eh?

APF

My best friend has an apartment in Sardinia so it’s a yes from me. I think an English version would sell, probably not just to English riders either. I’ve climbed in Sardinia and always wished I had my bike with me. Sun, beaches, biking and amazing food. What’s not to like!?

Looks ace – but although I don’t know enough about the economics of book publishing to answer your question, I suspect it would be “no”.

Maybe you could sell route cards yourself or through the bike shops though?

Could you release .gpx files, already translated eh?

You download the GPX files for the routes using a code inside the front cover. The little glossary bookmarker that comes with the guide is the only bit of the guide translated into English as well as being in Italian. See English description of guide for LEcco and Bergamo.

I’ve climbed in Sardinia

I translated the 5th edition of Pietra di Luna the climbing guide from Italian to English and am just proofing the pdf. I also prodded Maurizio Oviglia into produced a mapguide to Ogliastra, where we live and bolt routes. I think the fact that outside in Hathersage sell this mapguide to the climbing in this the least-populated Italian province on the east coast of the island says a lot about how attractive outdoor sports are here. There are lots of new/forthcoming walking guides as well in English, we have helped with those as well.

ciao Peter

I wouldnt mind seeing what routes you have put together for Aosta if there is any chance of a sneak peek before i head out there next month

pretty please….

I wouldnt mind seeing what routes you have put together for Aosta if there is any chance of a sneak peek before i head out there next month

pretty please….
Sorry, I don’t think it’s out yet, at least it’s not on Versante Sud’s website. The guide, if you manage to find it, includes English translations of symbols used

You will be able to download GPS routes for the guide using the 16-digit code inside the front cover.
For some routes in Valle d’Aosta, look at VAlle ‘Aosta section of MTB-FORUM.IT from where you can download GPS routes after registering.
cheers Peter

Maybe you could sell route cards yourself or through the bike shops though?

We do this informally for free for people staying at the guesthouse we run (see ad back of STW 62-64, the business generated paid for the ad I am glad to say) BUT it’s not the same as having a proper guide, with the “scene” that this generates. Sardinia is known for climbing thanks to the Rockfax and Pietra di Luna guides, and people come to climb here from all over the world. There will be loads of N Italians come here when the Italian MTB guide is published (admittedly they mostly drive) since Sardinia is known mainly for beach holidays, not for the outdoor sports. BUT one of the main aims of writing a guide is to develop mountain biking in general: more routes, councils funding trail maintenance, reaching critical mass for establishing bike hire businesses…A Dutch journalist recently said after we took him out riding, “All the Germans go to Arco/Lago di Garda, but here the riding’s better, though the island needs to improve infrastructure.” A guide (not just in Italian) is a key part of such infrastructure IMHO.

ciao Peter

I’ve been road riding in northern Sardinia a few times, love the place. I’ve often thought there must be good MTBing but never managed to find any info online about it. Going to a foreign country to ride, it’s a lot easier to go road riding unless there’s a proper guide (human or book!)

I’ll keep an eye out for your ad in the back of the magazine Peter.

Peter, ill have a look through that site and see if i can match routes up to the map, or do the GPS thing, however i aint got one but know a man who does.

Also, did MBR not do a feature on Sardinia over the past 12 months? Sure they did

I’ve been road riding in northern Sardinia a few times, love the place. I’ve often thought there must be good MTBing but never managed to find any info online about it. Going to a foreign country to ride, it’s a lot easier to go road riding unless there’s a proper guide (human or book!). I’ll keep an eye out for your ad in the back of the magazine Peter.

The road cycling is great, we have done the Giro of Sardinia 7-day stage race several times. The MTB’ing is better in the centre and south of the island than the north, though.

Peter, ill have a look through that site and see if i can match routes up to the map, or do the GPS thing, however i aint got one but know a man who does.Also, did MBR not do a feature on Sardinia over the past 12 months? Sure they did

You’re the first person to mention this, we don’t have a subs to MBR liking to think we are more STW’y 😯 I had a quick look on MBR web site but couldn’t find anything.

Today I sent off the CD with 56 of our 70 routes to the publisher. Nice to be finishing it off and just be able to go and do my local technical ride where there are only 3 sections I can no longer do. For once some video of me, I’m usually the one taking the photos.

Thanks for the comments

Peter

Can’t really add much in terms of whether people would go for it because most folk might well stick pretty much to what they know/have heard of, i.e. Alps, France, Spain etc. Having said that, I was in Sardinia a few years back (mostly the Northern part) and would’ve loved to have had my bike and a map. I’ve also heard Corsica has loads of potential too.

So I guess my tuppence is that if you create the guide then you’ve got to market it successfully. Or else explore the market research angles and then decide whether to publish.

Good luck though.

I would be interested, espcially if you suggested some ideas in the book for linking the routes together to make a say week duration long distance route.