Stage 01 - from Iglesias to Fluminimaggiore (Mountain)

START: Iglesias 188 m (asl)
FINISH: Fluminimaggiore 61 m (asl)
TECHNICAL DATA:
 Length: 34.3 km
 Elevation gain/loss: +1078 m / -1207 m
 Maximum Gradient: +13.8%
 Minimum Gradient: -16.2%
 Highest Point: Passo Genna Bogai (Iglesias) 554 m asl
Possible detours to visit points of interest:
1* VARIANT: SAN BENEDETTO – BAUEDDU – (ARENAS) – ANTAS
Stage length with variant: 47.5 km
Elevation gain/loss: +1405 m / -1533 m
Max gradient: 15.1% / -15.5%
Average slope: +4.6% / -3.9%
Start of variant (San Benedetto junction on SS 126): at km 4.58 of the stage
End of variant (Antas Temple junction on SS 126): at km 14.8 of the stage
Highest point (on the San Benedetto – Malacalzetta dirt road): h: 625 m (asl).

OUT AND BACK ON THE BAUEDDU – ARENAS – BAUEDDU VARIANT ROUTE
Out and back length: 7.9 km
Start/end point (Baueddu): h: 512 m (asl)
Highest point (Arenas, Church of Santa Barbara): h: 578 m (asl).

STAGE DESCRIPTION:
The stage begins in Iglesias, at Piazza Quintino Sella near the monument dedicated to the famous statesman. Turning left, follow Via Eleonora (SS 126), where you can see parts of the Pisan walls near one of the watch and defense towers, and continue out of the city.
The route climbs gently to the end of the built-up area, then tackles a series of switchbacks that lead near the former Crobu Hospital (287 m asl), a facility which in the past hosted the national center for the treatment of children with thalassemia and was considered an excellence in the field.
After passing the entrance to the former hospital, the route descends through a series of switchbacks among the woodlands of this area, skirting the dam reservoir, which is crossed by the SS 126 bridge over Lake Corsi, then climbs northwards.
About 4.5 km from the start, the SS 126 has a junction on the right (267 m asl) for route 1*, San Benedetto (Iglesias), where the variant begins, leading into the Baueddu area and eventually reaching the mining village of Arenas.

If you do not wish to take the variant, you can continue on the SS 126, which from the San Benedetto junction continues to climb steadily with an average gradient of +4.8% for about 6.10 km, reaching the Genna Bogai pass (557 m asl).
This winding road climbs the lushly vegetated mountainsides, passing through valuable oak and cork oak woods.
After the pass, the route descends through numerous hairpin bends nestled in thick vegetation. You first pass the mountain hamlet of Sant’Angelo (a district of Fluminimaggiore), then the junction for Antas, the endpoint of the variant. After this intersection, continue to the junction where a left turn takes you onto a underpass of the same SS 126, soon reaching the entrance of the Su Mannau Caves.
At the equipped Su Mannau site, after checking opening hours and seasonal closures, you can visit the cave. In addition to distinctive karst formations (especially cave flowers), the cave also has significant archaeological interest.
The Su Mannau caves are a karst system of about 8 km, split into two main branches originating from two distinct streams, the Rio Placido and the Rio Rapido.
Only part of the system is open to visitors; the rooms that can be visited feature concretions, stalactites and stalagmites (the tallest measures 11 meters), columns rising up to 15 m, aragonite crystals, and underground lakes.
This site is also important for archaeology. Inside, remains have been found of ancient oil lamps of Nuragic origin and artefacts from Phoenician and Roman times. It is very likely that some 3,000 years ago, the site was a hypogean temple where Nuragic priests practiced ancient rituals related to sacred water.
The route continues along a dirt road to the Su Zurfuru mine, a fine example of a restored mining complex and which can be visited by reservation.
Back on the route, the track climbs gently along a panoramic dirt road rich in mining remains, arriving at Pubusinu spring (the second largest, by flow, in Sardinia) and at the house of Eng. Carlo Marx (in Sardinia from 1875, died in 1900), the scholar who first understood the close link between the metalliferous ring formations of the Iglesiente area and their deposits of silver-bearing galena and lead, and who was responsible for introducing mechanical processes into Sardinian ore-washing; it is now a renowned agritourism guesthouse.
After a break at the spring or agritourism, descend along the dirt road on the opposite side from the one taken to ascend to Pubusinu. Continuing along this easy dirt road, you descend to the village of Fluminimaggiore, where this mountain stage ends.

1* SAN BENEDETTO – MALACALZETTA – BAUEDDU – ARENAS VARIANT
Taking the road to San Benedetto (Iglesias), the route climbs and, after several switchbacks, reaches the mining village of San Benedetto, where just before entering the village, there is a water spring.
At the entrance to the village, on the right of the route, is the building adorned with the insignia of the Vieille Montagne mining company (the Belgian firm that acquired the mining concession in 1872) and here you will find one of the two Posadas of the CMSB Foundation, where, subject to reservation, it is possible to stay.
The mining village of San Benedetto became a modern center with the building of the school in 1907. It is still partly inhabited and the mining heritage is clearly visible in features such as the striking Pozzo Zimmermann and the ruins of industrial buildings, including the large ore-washing plant. The heart of the village is still the church of Santa Barbara, which is open for worship at certain times of the year.
Taking the dirt road from the western edge of San Benedetto, beyond the sports ground, climb the hills north of the small mining village. After passing the site of a small necropolis of Domus de Janas (not open to visitors as it is privately owned), you will have views down into the valley below and across to the opposite mountainside, where mining features can still be seen, particularly the suspended Decauville station with its rusted wagons.
The dirt track climbs for about 3.7 km from San Benedetto village (380 m asl) up to about 625 m (asl), with an average gradient of 6.5%.
From the highest point, there are views over the valley below and, via a northward descent, the route drops down to the abandoned Malacalzetta mining complex. Here you first encounter industrial ruins and the small washing plant with its stone arches, and then, crossing the small valley, see the remains of various other buildings including residential ones that made up the mining system.
Continue on the same dirt road towards Baueddu, where a fork offers two options: one road climbs to the Arenas mining village (2*) and the other descends towards the archaeological site of Antas and to the area where this variant rejoins the main stage.

On arrival at Antas, before continuing to the SS 126 road, it is highly recommended to visit the important archaeological site of the Temple of Antas and the namesake Nuragic village, with its comfortable and spacious equipped area.
The Temple of Antas is a Punic-Roman temple dedicated to the worship of Sardus Pater Babai (Sid Addir for the Carthaginians), the eponymous god of the Sardinians. The archaeological site also includes a Nuragic village and necropolis, a Punic temple, a Roman temple, and Roman quarries.
After your visit, continue along the paved road bordering a lovely valley with some centuries-old elms. In a short time you reach the junction that re-enters the SS 126, resuming the main stage towards Fluminimaggiore.

2* BAUEDDU – ARENAS – BAUEDDU OUT AND BACK
For those wishing to continue from Baueddu towards the Arenas mining village, the dirt road descends and then climbs again, winding through holm oak and oak woods, and finally arriving at Arenas. Just before the small settlement, you can still admire the Pozzo Lheraud castle.
In the small mining village—which, although restored, is today completely abandoned—apart from the alpine-style Santa Barbara church, there is a building managed as a Posada by the CMSB Foundation, where, subject to reservation, it is possible to stay.
After visiting the village and the surrounding mining area, retrace your route back to the Baueddu crossroads, then descend along the dirt road towards the archaeological area of Antas and finally rejoin the main stage.