This stage is not very long, but it goes steadily uphill. And in total over 1,000 meters in altitude. The majority of the route you drive on the main road, usually without bicycle lane, but due to the highway, which is hidden under and next to you in the mountain, the traffic is manageable.Immediately after Thusis we enter the infamous Via Mala gorge. Here, the Hinterrhein has dug deep into the mountains and left a breathtaking gorge. Already the Romans used the gorge for the crossing of the Alps with their trageseln. Today you will ride your bike on the approximately eight-kilometer road through the Via Mala. The name means "bad way" and has been called that since the 13th century, because the road deteriorated noticeably and was damaged by floods. An information center on the way informs you about the exciting history of the gorge.From Zillis, the Rhine Valley gets a bit wider and for a few kilometers the trail only climbs slightly. In the village awaits you a surprisingly interesting church with 153 artfully crafted ceiling paintings.You are now at over 1,000 meters and around you are mountain peaks that tower twice as high in the sky. Together with the wild Hinterrhein this results in an extraordinary alpine scenery. Behind the Roflaschlucht it is again tight and it is steep again uphill until you reach a huge reservoir in Sufers. A few flat bike kilometers further awaits you your stage destination Splügen, an idyllic pass village with a well-preserved villagescape. Between Palazzi and Walserhäusern there are some hotels where you can spend the night.