This route includes the high point of the ride, the 2744m Col Agnel / Colle dell'Agnello which also marks the France-Italy border, and the stunning and "memorable" Strada Cannoni along the Varaita-Maria ridge. A section of the Cannoni descent features the biggest gravel (aka rocks) on the route, it’s a challenge on any bike but it’s been done on 35mm tyres in the past (it’s not recommended...). Don’t get caught without spare inner tubes - it's rocky and not typical gravel bike terrain at all. The roughest few km of the descent takes you onto a relaxing, almost flat valley road - a welcome breather in between the big mountains. The ride along the Val Varaita is particularly nice if you go all the way to the Gardetta hike-a-bike (4.1) turn-off.

There is also the linked SCR.2 file within the collection. SCR.2 bypasses the rough section of the Cannoni. There is also the fully safe, very pretty (unrouted/off-route) SP335 road descent off the Col Sampeyre if needed – both re-join this main route file (3) within 10km of its end.