Cross the Alps by motorcycle with the Great Malle Mountain Rally

Imagine riding across the rooftop of Europe, ticking off all of the highest passes in the Alps as you do so. Cruising along the serene tarmac of a carefully planned pre-set route, triumphing over hairpin bend after hairpin bend, and taking in the intoxicating views at 2770m, before arriving at a ready-made camp to savour the finest local fare.

Sounds like a proper dream ride, doesn’t it? The good news, however, is that this fantasy is in fact a reality.

Last year, The Great Malle Mountain Rally took place for the first time and succeeded in becoming the longest Alpine rally ever attempted.

Covering a distance of 1500 miles over six days and travelling through six countries, you’d be forgiven for thinking you need an adventure bike, but this feat was achieved on 75 custom and classic motorcycles (and quite a few modern rally machines, too).

Taking on all the highest passes in the Alps and travelling through six Alpine territories, the Rally began in Austria and finished in Monaco. The route had been meticulously planned by the Malle team, who also recced each stage early every morning prior to the riders departing, to ensure the roads were still intact in the ever-changing landscape, plus marshals dotted the route at each checkpoint.

Met with beautiful blue skies as they passed the Dolomites, walls of cloud in the heights of Switzerland and rejuvenating warm ocean as they finally found their way back to sea level for the Monaco finish line.

The highlights were too many to count, but Malle co-founder and Mountain Rally support rider Robert Nightingale, has shared some of his favourites with MCN.

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