I recently joined Gravel Italia Podcast host Alessandro Migliorini for a conversation about the story behind ciaocycling: how I founded it as a personal idea and how it gradually grew into a shared project when Carola Skarabela came on board.
ciaocycling was born from a simple but strong vision: to share the Italy I love through gravel riding, creating experiences that go beyond routes and kilometers. What began as a one-woman project shaped by my background in cycling, community building, and digital work has evolved into a collaboration where Carola and I combine our skills, energy, and local knowledge to design cycling experiences that feel personal, thoughtful, and deeply connected to the territory.
More than a ride: The ciaocycling experience
During the podcast, I spoke in depth about our gravel camps around Lake Garda and the surrounding regions. We design these camps for small groups because quality of experience comes from attention to detail and genuine connection.
Every route is carefully researched and ridden in advance. Terrain, traffic, surface quality, elevation, and scenery all play a role, but also how a route feels over the course of a day.
Where is the perfect mid-ride coffee stop?
Where can the group naturally come back together?
Which section offers a sense of adventure without becoming overwhelming?
This level of preparation allows riders to feel supported while still experiencing the freedom that gravel riding promises.
Our camps are not just about cycling performance. They are about sharing local culture: riding through vineyards, stopping at small local cafés, and discovering places that visitors would rarely find on their own. Evenings are an essential part of the experience: shared dinners, conversations, and moments that turn a group of riders into a small community.
Carola and I also put a strong focus on creating welcoming environments, especially for women who may be entering gravel for the first time. Our goal is for every participant to leave not only with great memories and photos, but with more confidence, new friendships, and the motivation to keep exploring by bike.
Local stories, shared traditions
One thing that makes these camps unique, and that came up during the podcast, is how much we love sharing the small, human stories behind the places riders move through. Food, local products, and personal traditions are part of how we connect people to the territory.
A perfect example is our now famous bigoli night. Bigoli are a traditional pasta from this region, and what started as me simply explaining a local specialty has become a recurring camp ritual. We even have a Bigoli ciaocycling tshirt now! After a day on the bike, we sit down together, talk about the ride, laugh about the day’s challenges, and share a meal that is deeply rooted in local culture. It is informal, joyful, and exactly the kind of memory that stays with people long after the trip ends.
These moments, the stories, the shared tables, the little traditions that grow from one camp to the next, are just as important as the riding itself. They are what turn a cycling holiday into a meaningful travel experience.
Thoughtful planning, personal support
Behind every camp stands a great deal of care, preparation, and personal involvement. Carola and I speak both German, Italian and English and bring complementary, multidisciplinary backgrounds into ciaocycling.
My path began in nutrition and behavioural sciences before I transitioned into the world of design, UX, and digital communication. Carola’s journey developed in the opposite direction: originally trained in design and communication, she continued her education over the years with numerous further trainings and qualifications in nutrition, performance, and micronutrients.
This crossover of skills allows us to look at cycling experiences from both a human and a technical perspective: understanding group dynamics, energy needs, motivation, and recovery, while also shaping clear communication and thoughtful digital touchpoints.
Everything our guests see and experience is created directly by us. From the website and visual identity to route design, camp structure, emails, social media, and participant support, it is all developed in house. This hands on approach ensures that every detail reflects our values: clarity, warmth, local knowledge, and genuine care for the people who join our rides.
I briefly mentioned during the podcast that building something like this comes with challenges behind the scenes, but those stay in the background. What truly matters, and what drives every decision we make, is creating well prepared, welcoming experiences where riders feel supported, inspired, and deeply connected to the places they explo
I am grateful for the opportunity to share the story of ciaocycling on the podcast and to reflect on how a simple idea, nurtured step by step, can grow into a project that brings people together on two wheels.
🎧 You can listen to the full episode on the Gravel Italia Podcast, and if you would like to experience it yourself, we would love to welcome you to one of our upcoming camps.
➡ Youtube
➡ Spotify
See you on the gravel. 🚴♀️
