La Grande Via – Aspromonte X Trail

La Grande Via – Aspromonte X Trail is a trail race created in 2026 in Cittanova, a small town on the Gioia Tauro plain at the foot of the Zomaro plateau, on the edge of Aspromonte National Park in Calabria. It is organised by the sports association Zomaro Outdoor Experience, which uses running as a way to showcase the natural and historical heritage of this side of the Aspromonte. The name refers to an ancient route used for centuries by shepherds, travellers and armies, which archaeological research links to the final chapters of Spartacus's revolt. Both races start together at 8 am on a Sunday in early November from the centre of Cittanova, near Piazza San Rocco and the Villa Comunale Carlo Ruggiero gardens.

The Epic 40K, the main event, is a loop of about 40 km with roughly 1,500 m of climbing, 98% of it off tarmac. After a descent to the Serra torrent, it crosses an ancient olive grove and the stony bed of a fiumara before a first steep, rocky section around kilometre 5. Park trail 222 leads to the San Trabus viewpoint and the Piani di Zomaro, with waterfalls around kilometre 12 where the ground can be slippery. Forest tracks, beech and pine woods follow, along with Laghetto Zomaro and Villaggio Zomaro, then the route heads back to the Serra and through a chestnut forest used by the national cross-country mountain bike circuit. A technical singletrack takes runners up to Monte Cucudo, the highest point, before the Way of the Cross path leads to a panoramic cross overlooking the Gioia Tauro plain, the Aeolian Islands and Sicily, followed by a steep descent through holm oaks back into town.

The Origins 10K, about 10 km with 500 m of climbing, follows the final part of that story: the rocky bed of the Serra, the climb up Via Florimo, the chestnut forest and footbridges of the bike circuit, an aid station at kilometre 5, then a more technical ascent over stones and roots to Monte Cucudo, the panoramic cross and the final descent. It is designed for newcomers to trail running, but the gradients call for proper preparation.

The long course requires experience of long mountain outings, with an uneven profile alternating steep climbs and technical descents. The time limit is 9 hours 30 minutes for the 40 km and 3 hours 30 minutes for the 10 km, and both races are open to adults holding a sports membership, which the association can provide. On the 40 km, a headlamp becomes compulsory to pass the Cavallica checkpoint, around kilometre 30, from 3 pm.

Aid stations are spaced roughly every 6 km and the event is plastic-free: no disposable containers are handed out, so everyone runs with their own bottle and reusable cup. Mandatory kit for the 40 km includes a charged phone, a device able to follow the GPX track, a survival blanket, a whistle, water and food reserves, a small first-aid kit and a waterproof jacket in bad weather. Bib collection and the technical briefing take place the day before at the Uliveto Principessa Resort, and a pasta party awaits the runners. Several crossings of roads open to traffic call for caution.