Vincenzo Torriani was on a quest all his life. In search of roads, especially mountain roads. For spectacular mountain roads over which he could chase a professional peloton. That was his job - and probably his passion. Because until 1992, Vincenzo Torriani was to the Giro d'Italia what the even more famous Henri Desgrange once was to the Tour de France: race director of a three-week national tour.
Cycle tour Dolomites: On the trail of the Giro d`Italia
After Torriani had already incorporated the Stelvio Pass into the Giro in 1953 and the Passo di Gavia in 1960, he was once again looking for challenges for the pros. Or should we say new tortures? Because the climbs that Torriani or his counterpart Desgrange included in their tours were not always well received. Especially not with the riders. Just remember the legendary scenes on the first ascent of the Col d'Aubisque in the Pyrenees in 1910, when the leader at the time, Octave Lapize, called the Tour organisers murderers. It was probably not quite as dramatic in 1969, when Torriani sent the Giro peloton over the Passo Fedaia for the first time.
After all, the racing bikes were now equipped with gears. It should be possible to conquer a Fedaia properly. Torriani had had it on his wish list for a long time. It was to be a spectacular finale at the foot of the Marmolada, the queen of the Dolomites. But the race director had not reckoned with the weather gods. Rain, snow and hail pelted the road so heavily that the Fedaia stage could not even be started.
In hindsight, however, the capricious weather suited Torriani. Because now he was able to further fuel the tension on this pass. First in 1970, with a summit finish halfway up the Malga Ciapela, where the hardest part of the climb begins. Five more years were to pass before the Passo Fedaia was unveiled in its entirety for the first time at the Giro. At the time, Torriani had led the peloton to the Fedaia via the Passo Staulanza to the south. But the approach to the pass is basically irrelevant, as pass roads wind through this mountain range wherever you look.
Autumn: the best time for a cycle tour in the Dolomites
Almost 50 years later, I climb towards the Marmolada in the footsteps of Giancarlo Polidori, who was the first to cross the pass at the Giro première. Coming from the north, with the Passo Valparola already in my legs as a warm-up, the moderate gradient in the lower part of the Fedaia is pleasant to ride. A dark blue sky stretches over the road, the golden autumn makes the Dolomites shine in all their glory.
"September and October are the best months for mountain pass tours on a racing bike," says my guide Klaus Irsara. Klaus is a hotelier from Abtei and has specialised in cyclists for many years. Not just because of the business, but because he himself is passionate about cycling. And he wants to share this passion with his guests. "As often as time allows, I also lead one or two tours myself," Klaus continues. "Or I'll quickly whizz up the Valparola, my local pass, in the morning before work."
Passo Fedaia: The steepest kilometres in the Dolomites
The Passo Fedaia throws down the gauntlet with an endlessly long straight that seems to lead to the sky like the nearby Marmolada cable car. - Matthias Rotter
We chat - and I'm about to ask Klaus about his favourite tour in the Dolomites when I suddenly run out of breath. We have reached Malga Ciapela. From here, the cable car swings up to the Marmolada and the road to the pass is almost as steep. Anyone who thought they were safe up to this point will be punched in the stomach after a right-hand bend. The Passo Fedaia throws down the gauntlet with an endlessly long straight that seems to lead to the sky like a cable car. The road climbs ten, twelve, up to sixteen per cent. And anyone hoping that the following hairpin bends will bring redemption will be sorely disappointed.
I have to think of Polidori and the fact that our carbon bikes weigh about half as much as his steel racer at the time. And are also equipped with twice the number of gears. I'd rather not get into analysing the gear ratios... The only consolation I have until the top of the pass: This section is one of the five steepest kilometres in the Dolomites. No comparison with the Gardena Pass, Campolongo or Pordoi, whose climbs are comparatively relaxed. Fortunately! Because two of these still lie ahead of us today on the way back to Abtei.
But Klaus had already warned me that circuits with fewer than three pass crossings are hard to find in the heart of the Dolomites. Jouf de Fedaa, Passo Fedaia - done! As usual in the region, there are at least two names on the pass sign, depending on which language areas the crossing connects. Around the Sella Group, it is usually the Ladin and the Italian name. In the direction of the Adige and Pustertal valleys, the German name is usually added, such as on the Würzjoch.
Cycle tour Dolomites: Spectacular scenery in transition
At the Fedaia reservoir, the flat section gives you enough time to catch your breath and enjoy the scenery. The view of the 3343 metre-high Marmolada, the highest mountain in the Dolomites, is and remains spectacular, even if Polidori probably had a completely different image etched into his mind in 1975. Since the 1950s, the mountain has lost around 85 per cent of its glaciation. A memorial to climate change. Smoothly polished rock faces prove that the glacier tongue once even reached down to the top of the pass.
During a break at the curved dam wall at the western end of the lake, I can finally ask Klaus about his favourite tour. "For me, there is no best or most beautiful tour in the Dolomites," he replies a little indignantly. "The beauty is everywhere if you travel through these mountains with your eyes open." But then he does come up with a few tips. "The Sella Ronda has definitely earned its classic status. But the more remote passes such as the Giau or Würzjoch are quieter and scenically beautiful."
Cycle tour Dolomites: An up and down
From the Fedaia reservoir, we rush down to Canazei, where the road immediately begins to climb again. This is typical of the Dolomites: There are hardly any long transfers between the passes, it's usually straight down to business. This saw-tooth profile makes Dolomite stages difficult even for the pros. Relaxing flat sections? Niente! Serpentine by serpentine, the vertical rock faces of the Sella massif draw closer. And for the Sella, the appendage "massif" is justified. After all, it is rare to find such an impressive block of rock in the Alps. Moreover, there is no other that can be circumnavigated with such a unique four-pass tour as the Sella Ronda.
Halfway up the climb, at a memorial stone to Italy's 50s cycling idol Fausto Coppi, the road forks. We decide in favour of the route over the Passo Pordoi, following in the footsteps of the famous cyclist and Italian national hero. Coppi was the first to cross the Pordoi five times, most recently in 1954. Italy's climbing god Marco Pantani also lives on at the Pordoi, in colourful letters on the asphalt; the fans must have used particularly weatherproof paint here. Curious: at 2239 metres, the Pordoi is considered the highest Dolomite pass, although the road over the nearby Sella Pass is 2244 metres high according to the pass sign. The reason is simple: for structural reasons, the road runs above the 2218 metre high Sella Pass.
Giro icon: Passo Pordoi
What is certain is that no other pass is as closely linked to the history of the Giro d'Italia as the Pordoi - almost as closely as the Tourmalet in the Pyrenees is to the Tour de France. There, people are happy to overlook the omnipresent traces of ski tourism. And the fact that the top of the pass can resemble a fairground during the summer holidays. Fortunately, when Klaus and I reach the top of the pass, there is hardly any sign of it.
We take a seat at the large Coppi monument and look: at the more than 100-year-old mountain hotels along the road, which exude a certain charm; to the western horizon, where the Sassolungo group draws its jagged contours in the sky; and to the east, where the comparatively unknown Padon ridge, where fierce battles raged during the world wars, borders the horizon.
Even today, old barracks and gun emplacements can be found all over the Dolomites. A military cemetery and a museum at Pordoi are reminders of this. After a quick espresso in the bar at the Boé cable car, we get back on our bikes, as the Passo di Campolongo awaits us on the way home over to Val Badia. Not a giant like the Fedaia, but with three passes over 2000 metres high in our legs, even a climb that is easy on paper can hurt. That's just the way it is in the pass wonderland of the Dolomites.
Cycle tour Dolomites: The most important information
Journey
Railway: The nearest train station to our Abtei location is 28 kilometres to the north in Bruneck. From Frankfurt am Main, for example, it takes 7:35 hours with two changes (Munich and Franzensfeste). We cannot recommend booking one of the few parking spaces for your bike, which often have to be reserved well in advance. From Frankfurt, a pitch would cost 22.90 euros, but you can't book a train ticket and bike pass together online. According to DB, the latter is only valid as far as Franzensfeste. From there, you need a Trenitalia bike ticket for 3.50 euros.
Tip: Take the bike disassembled in a pannier or pannier case - packed in this way, the bike can also be taken on the bus (line 460, www.suedtirolmobil.info), which takes 50 minutes from Bruneck to Abtei.
Car: From Germany either via Munich to Innsbruck or via Füssen and the Fernpass. Continue over the Brenner Pass and through the Pustertal Valley to Bruneck, then into the Gadertal Valley (Val Badia) towards Corvara to Abtei. From Munich 280 kilometres, from Frankfurt am Main 640. The motorways in Austria and Italy as well as the Brenner Pass are subject to tolls, the toll there and back adds up to around 40 euros.
Cycle tour Dolomites: Best time to travel
The passes around the Sella Group are open all year round. This also applies to Passo Giau, Valparola, Falzarego and Fedaia. However, closures due to fresh snow are possible at any time. In general, May/June and September/October are ideal for road cycling. It is not too hot then and there is usually little to moderate traffic on the roads. Stable weather conditions tend to be expected in autumn. If you can, you should avoid the busy holiday months of July and August.
Bike service (Corvara)
Breakout Sport: Shop, workshop and hire of Specialized racing bikes. (Telephone: 0039/0471/830346)
Accommodation (Abbey)
Hotel Melodia del Bosco: The Melodia is a member of "Roadbike Holidays", a group of hotels specialising in the needs of racing cyclists, and is one of the oldest establishments in the valley. The architecture blends tradition and modernity in a charming way. Boss Klaus Irsara, himself a passionate racing cyclist, has dedicated the hotel entirely to cycling in summer. The offer includes everything cyclists could wish for, from workshops to guided tours and customised GPS tracks. Excellent cuisine! Double room with breakfast per person from 86 euros. Telephone: 0039/0471/839620
Food and drink
As in almost all mountain regions, the cuisine in the Ladin valleys is based on simple dishes, as ingredients used to be scarce. Even though their availability has long since improved, many restaurants endeavour to preserve traditions and interpret regional dishes in a modern way. You will almost always find barley soup and dumplings with a variety of fillings, such as spinach or sauerkraut, on the menu. Schlutzkrapfen, a type of ravioli, are also popular. South Tyrolean speck is famous beyond the region, as is the huge selection of red and white wines. And for dessert there's apple strudel - what more could you want? Perhaps a piece of mountain cheese made from the milk of the cows that graze on the slopes of Val Badia?
Even though the cuisine at the Hotel Melodia del Bosco, where we stayed, leaves nothing to be desired, here is a recommendation from the hotel manager himself for a typical Ladin experience. However, reservations are compulsory in the small parlour.
Maso Runch farm (Badia): Phone 0039/0471/839796
Cycle tour Dolomites: Maps
Kompass Cycling Map 3420 "South Tyrol" (set of 4), 1:50,000, Kompass Maps 2022; 18 euros.
Don't miss it!
Bruneck: The main town of the Pustertal Valley, around 30 kilometres away, is well worth a visit. The imposing town gates are surrounded by ornate houses and magnificent churches. It is said that the Stadtgasse is the most beautiful shopping street in South Tyrol. Also interesting: Bruneck Castle, which can be seen from afar and is enthroned on a hill. The Messner Mountain Museum there, one of six facilities run by the famous mountaineer, is dedicated to mountain peoples all over the world.
War Museum: The sites of the First World War are omnipresent in the Dolomites. The Museo della Grande Guerra has been set up in the restored Tre Sassi fortress ruins on Passo Valparola. In addition to information about the First World War, equipment, weapons and everyday objects used by the soldiers are on display. Open daily in summer from 10 am to 12.30 pm and 2 pm to 4.30 pm.
Tip: Take the cable car from the nearby Passo Falzarego to the summit of the Lagazuoi. At the top, you can walk through tunnels and gun emplacements carved into the rock. The panorama is breathtaking anyway. There is also a war museum at Passo Pordoi, which was opened in 2018 at the valley station of the Sass Pordoi cable car. The exhibition features reconstructions of barracks and trenches, as well as original artefacts used by the soldiers. Adults pay an entrance fee of six euros.
Cycle tour Dolomites: Orientation
Our location Abtei ("Badia" in Italian) has around 3500 inhabitants and is located 30 kilometres south of Bruneck in the Gadertal valley in the Dolomites; the access road from the Pustertal valley into the Dolomites leads through the Gadertal valley, which runs in a north-south direction. Abtei's altitude of around 1300 metres is a good base for tours over the surrounding passes. On the west side of the valley is the Puez-Geisler Nature Park with famous mountains such as the Geisler peaks and the Peitlerkofel. On the eastern side is the Fanes Nature Park, where the mountains reach an altitude of over 3000 metres. The Val Badia is one of the five Dolomite valleys (Val Badia, Val Gardena, Buchenstein, Cortina d'Ampezzo and Val di Fassa) in which the majority of the population speak Ladin, which belongs to the group of Romansh dialects.
These are the four cycle tours through the Dolomites
Tour 1: Around the Plose
101 kilometres | 2800 vertical metres | maximum 12 % gradient
A tour not to be underestimated, which requires stamina due to the jagged profile. The hub of this tour is the 1987 metre high Würzjoch. This somewhat remote pass connects the busy Eisack Valley with the Gader Valley. The special thing about the Würzjoch: several access roads from both sides form a small network of mainly narrow side roads, a paradise for pass riders. The very first ascent winds its way up through alpine meadows with barely a single lane, passes magnificent mountain farms and crosses quaint hamlets. The Peitlerkofel soon comes into view, which is known as the north-western cornerstone of the Dolomites due to its steep northern cliffs. Its striking shape will also provide orientation on the way back.
The plateau at the top of the Würzjoch pass is a natural jewel of the first order. This is followed by a technically demanding descent on a bumpy surface through the remote Lüsental valley, which ends abruptly above Brixen. A steep ramp branches off to the left and the crossing of Brixen's local mountain, the Plose, begins. Constant views down into the Eisack Valley embellish the strenuous ups and downs. The village of Sankt Andrä, situated on a terrace, invites you to take a break before heading up to the Würzjoch once again - an almost 24-kilometre climb, characterised by numerous undulations and intermediate descents, where the famous Geisler peaks greet you from the right and the Peitlerkofel also appears as a landmark on the horizon. You know that the Würzjoch is only reached at its foot. Until then, stay strong!
Tour 2: Sella Ronda classic
67 kilometres | 1880 vertical metres | maximum gradient of 10%
The Sella Ronda, the circuit around the mountain massif of the Sella Group, is one of the most famous road bike tours in the Alps. It is at least as famous among skiers, as the Sella circuit is also possible in winter with the help of lifts. And even though many cyclists may already be familiar with this tour, it is always a pleasure. Hardly anywhere else in the Alps can you string together four passes into such a compact circular tour. And three of the most famous ones at that: Passo Sella, Passo Pordoi and Passo Gardena. The fourth in the group, the Passo di Campolongo, belongs more to the "tranquil" category.
Another special feature is that the climbs are not difficult to conquer. Even pass novices with a good basic level of fitness can complete the tour with the right amount of climbing. Especially if you cycle anti-clockwise. Then the tough southern ramp of the Sella Pass, the steepest section of the tour, turns into a roaring descent. Countless hairpin bends and the scenes of legendary cycling dramas await us on the Sellaronda. The most magnificent panoramas open up behind every bend. You pass striking rocky peaks such as the Sassolungo and Sassongher or rock faces of impressive dimensions on the southern flank of the Sella massif. Not forgetting the view to the south of the Marmolada glacier (3343 m), the highest mountain in the Dolomites.
Tour 3: Dream Pass
97 kilometres | 2700 vertical metres | maximum 10% gradient
The highlight of this tour, the 2236 metre high Passo di Giau, is a potential contender for the title of the most beautiful Dolomite pass. On the one hand, it is a little off the beaten track of the busy Sella Ronda, and on the other, the climb on a narrower road is simply great fun. In addition, the landscape at the Passo di Giau is charming in its very own way. Alpine meadows stretch around the pass, overlooked by the rocky peaks of Ra Gusela and the Cinque Torri. However, before the tour reaches the Giau, you have to cross the Passo Valparola, which also cracks the 2,000 metre mark. Not an easy task, especially as the 1875 metre high Passo di Campolongo awaits tired legs at the end.
The start through the idyllic rear Val Badia offers the opportunity to roll in, as the northern ramp of the Valparola is interrupted several times by flat sections. Only the last five kilometres to the top of the pass require constant small gears. Past the battlefields on the Lagazuoi, the road drops only briefly after the highest point, then the Valparola crest ends directly at the Passo Falzarego. The descent to Cortina d'Ampezzo rolls perfectly on smooth tarmac. It's time to rest up for the Passo di Giau, which begins just before reaching the Olympic resort with a climb of almost 800 metres. While the lower half of the climb is mainly in the forest, the summit section through the open mountain world is a feast for the senses.
Tour 4: The last glacier
105 kilometres | 3000 vertical metres | maximum gradient of 15%
At an altitude of 3343 metres, the Marmolada is the highest mountain in the Dolomites. Its gleaming white glacier flank can be seen from almost every Dolomite pass. Or rather, what is left of the glacier. According to glaciologists, the ice will have disappeared in around 30 years; it was only on 3 July 2022 that a huge block broke off and killed eleven mountaineers. You can see just how far down the ice reached less than 200 years ago on the 2054 metre-high Passo Fedaia, above which rock slabs show the glacier's former polish.
With an average gradient of more than eight per cent, the eastern ramp of the Fedaia is one of the most difficult climbs in the Dolomites and is also more scenic than the western ascent from Canazei. If you want to take a shortcut to the Fedaia, you can also ride over the Passo di Campolongo, but this only saves a few metres in altitude compared to the more beautiful Passo Valparola. In addition, the descent via Valparola and Falzarego down to Saviner di Laste, which we recommend, is pure pleasure. The ascent to Fedaia then begins moderately. Halfway up, in Sottoguda, there was a nice alternative for many years - a small road open only to pedestrians and cyclists climbed spectacularly through the Sottoguda gorge.
Unfortunately, a storm destroyed the little road in 2018. Renovation work is underway and the gorge should be passable again in the not too distant future. Just above the point where the Sottoguda road rejoins the pass road is the valley station of the Marmolada cable car. From there, the Fedaia east ramp gets serious, no longer leaving the double-digit gradient percentage range and reaching 15 per cent at the steepest points. From Canazei, there are again two options for the way back: steeper via the Sella and Gardena Passes or slightly easier via Pordoi and Campolongo. All in all, however, it is a difficult tour, no matter which way you turn it.
Tour character
Pass tours in the Dolomites have their own special charm. On the one hand, the wonderful mixture of alpine meadows and rugged, light-coloured rocks, and on the other, the relatively dense road network and the high number of pass crossings, which often follow each other in close succession. The possibilities for combining the passes into circular tours are correspondingly varied. However, it is important to realise that the Dolomites are all uphill or downhill. And even if the climbs are not among the most difficult and longest in the Alps, it is hardly possible to plan daily tours of less than 2500 to 3000 metres in altitude.
Extremely steep ramps are more likely to be found near the Adige and Isarco valleys. In the tour area presented here, only the Passo Fedaia is out of the ordinary with up to 15 per cent steep ramps on the eastern side. And the Passo di Giau is continuously steep from the south for almost ten kilometres (up to 15 per cent); however, our Tour 3 takes the more moderate ascent from the north-east. Otherwise, most of the climbs are quite pleasant with an average gradient of five to eight per cent.
