If you ride south from Bellagio towards Magreglio, you'll take on a famous 700 metre climb. At the top, you'll reach the Madonna Del Ghisallo, a 17th century chapel that was anointed as a shrine to cyclists in 1949. In front of the church, marble columns commemorate some of Italy's greatest cyclists, such as Fausto Coppi, Gino Bartali, and Alfredo Binda.
In 1973, a monument dedicated to cyclists was erected next to the Sanctuary. Made of bronze, it represents the struggle between victory and defeat, and bears an inscription by Bruno Raschi stating that the bicycle is an instrument of practice and exaltation in life, according to the shrine's web site. From a viewing platform behind the chapel, you can see Lake Como and the surrounding mountains. The site is also home to a more mundane building that houses a cycling museum.
