Passo del Sempione from Preglia

Precisely in order to at least avoid heavy vehicle traffic, we drove up on Sunday from Domodossola, which I highly recommend. The traffic itself would not create any major problems, the road is generally wide, but the presence of many tunnels, even if windowed, creates a sometimes deafening and very very annoying noise on the ascent, while on the descent it is hardly noticeable; the presence of three construction sites in tunnels increases the feeling of discomfort. At the top, the panorama, clouds permitting, is suggestive. The descent, on the other hand, is stupendous for the quality of the surface and the gradient, which is never extreme. Great care must be taken in the tunnel sections, which are poorly or poorly lit. But it is a Cima Coppi and "must be done".

Granted, the views are beautiful and the road surface is super. But there is one thing I would not recommend this side of the Simplon pass: the traffic. The Simplon Pass is a kind of highway over the mountains, with an extremely wide road with large gradual bends, where cars and motorcycles are not prevented from doing their utmost. As a cyclist quite irritating, although I never felt unsafe. Also: there are many very long tunnels that you cannot avoid. Sometimes you have to toil for hundreds of meters in a concrete construction while the traffic rushes past you; not the best Swiss cycling mountain.

There is no alternative road on this side (except briefly at Simplon Dorf), but there is on the other side. If you can choose, climb the Simplon Pass from Brig. This ascent as descent seems super to me: nice and fast and beautiful.