Dolomites TRIP Vlierbeekriders
The Dolomites are a stunning place to ride a bike. If you haven’t done the Sella Ronda, the Passo di Giau or the Tre Cime di Lavaredo yet, they should definitely go on your to do list. But there is more to the Dolomites than the area around Corvara and Cortina d’Ampezzo. And in June 2024 I got the opportunity to show some of these lesser known gems to the Vlierbeekriders club from Leuven, Belgium. We’ll have a closer look at three of those in this blog.
First climb in the spotlight today is Monte Grappa. A bit better known since the double climb in the 2024 Giro and Tadej Pogacars masterclass. We did it from the northern side, starting from Feltre. Monte Grappa is a long climb with 1.600 metres of elevation spread over 29 kilometres. After the first section through the forest, the climb opens up and gives way to some stunning views towards the valley. The top is visible from a long way away, looking very high and out of reach when you first spot it. A stunning climb with a breathtaking view from the top (if the skies are clear, which is not guaranteed round here…). This climb is made all the more impressive by the momentous Word War I memorial at the top.
Next up is the Passo Manghen. It has never played a decisive role in the Giro but it is one tough climb. 1.700 metres of elevation over justs 23 kilometres makes for roughly 2 hours of very hard work. The gradient in the last 6 kilometers never descends below 10%. Luckily the views are stunning and there is rarely any traffic. It is undoubtedly the greenest mountain pass above 2.000 metres I know. Passo Manghen is a beast of a climb but a great one !
And the third climb I want to highlight today is the climb to the altopiano (high plane) of Alpe di Siusi. People often say it’s about the journey and not the destination. In the case of Alpe di Siusi, it’s all about the destination. While the climb itself is fairly unremarkable and doesn’t have a lot of cycling history to it, the landscape at the top is as beautiful as it gets anywhere in the world. As you reach the top of the climb in Compatsch, the road continues through an amazing, green and undulating plain in the shadow of Dolomites giants as the Plattkofel, the Langkofel and the Santnerspitze. A truly magical place to ride a bike (and with some hidden photo opportunites). And as an Alp&Bike special, we then took the cable car down into the town of Ortisei, the jewel of the Val Gardena. A spectacular way to finish off our trip.
An unforgettable journey over some of the best roads anywhere in the Alps.
We rode for 7 days, starting and finishing in the beautiful little town of Brixen. Alp&Bike took care of all itineraries, lodging, luggage transfer and support on the road.