Dolomites Cycling Tour
Riding Days
4
Number of Nights
4
Total Distance
250-350km
Total Climbing
6,500-10,000 metres
Difficulty
4/5
At a Glance
Dolomites Cycling Tour - The Dolomites lay a claim to being the most beautiful mountains in Europe that the Alps and Pyrenees find hard to refute. The golden rockfaces, hewn into bizarre and beautiful contours, strike skywards from lush valleys and dark forests, whilst the many passes in the area are some of the most brilliantly designed mountain roads in the world, using incredibly consistent gradients to conquer the forbidding terrain.
La Fuga have been running trips in the Dolomites ever since we formed back in 2008 so there is no shortage of expertise on this trip. You will be embarking on one of our favourite tours taking in all the highlights of the Val Badia area. Combining the Passo Pordoi, Marmolada and Tre Cime Lavaredo as well as other spectacular Dolomite climbs will certainly leave you with a week full of memories as ride the most beautiful mountain range in the world.
Tour Highlights
Our Dolomites Cycling Tour will immerse you in a magical, almost fairy-tale landscape where your senses will be overloaded both on and off the bike.
Tour Highlights
- Ride through the waterfalls and gorge of Serrai di Sottoguda
- Taste the delicious Ladin cuisine and sample the hospitality and culture
- Experience the jaw-dropping beauty of the Tre Cime Lavaredo
- Scale the Passo Fedaia on the Marmolada glacial mountain
- Immerse yourself in the Dolomites peaks of Val Badia and the Sella Ronda
Book Tour
€1,175.00 – €2,395.00
Overview
Dolomites Cycling Tour - Overview about the region and culture
The Dolomites officially cover the area up to the Adige river in the west and stretch almost to the plains of Venice in the south, with the northern edge reaching the Austrian border. Undoubtedly the most stunning and impressive areas are the rock formations centred around the Sella Ronda group of rocks right in the middle.
Val Badia, where you will be staying during this trip, is host to one of the important World Cup ski races. It is often referred to as the heart of the Dolomites Mountains. The valley has a different feel from the surrounding valleys as it has its own language, ‘Ladin’, and important legends and cultures. Ladin is now really only spoken in this valley, and it is thought to have been preserved due to the isolation of the valley until fairly recently at around 100 years ago.
The legends and tales of the Dolomites perpetuate the culture and beliefs of the people who live here. When the valley was cut off from other civilisations, the tales and myths were an authentic way to explain this dramatic landscape’s origins. There are stories of witches, dragons and ogres who roam the high mountains guarding gates that led to the underworld. To the people who lived here, they are by way of an explanation of towering rock pinnacles that were out of reach but always visible.
One famous legend tells of a sorcerer whose plan to seduce the lake’s mermaid with a beautiful rainbow went wrong. The rainbow fell into the lake, giving it a vibrant, luminous green colour which is still visible today. Other tales include the Princess of Fames, who can found sailing around the Lago di Braies whenever there is a full moon. There are many stories that form part of the culture of this incredible land.
The Dolomites received recognition for their outstanding natural beauty when it became a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2009.
The Giro d'Italia
The mountain passes of the Dolomites have been the scene of many battles of the Giro d’Italia. With champions having fought each other for the coveted ‘Maglia Rosa’.
With many of the passes only receiving asphalt in the 50 or 60’s the early duels over the high passes of the Dolomites were incredible feats of athletic performance and bike handling capability. The Passo Pordoi is one of the most famous climbs, having been climbed by the Giro d’Italia 40 times since it was first included in 1940. A monument to Fausto Coppi is found at the summit commemorating his victories over the climb in his battles with great rival Gino Bartali. It was another Italian hero, Gilberto Simoni, who liked the climb so much that upon retiring, he donated his last race bike to the climb and it now stands concreted into the stone as you crest the summit.
The Tre Cime Lavaredo is equally important in Giro history, having seen Eddy Merckx seal overall victory on its steep slopes in 1968. More recently, it was seen Vincenzo Nibali also extend his lead in the pink jersey and put his competitors out of reach after an epic battle up the steep slopes in the middle of a snowstorm in 2013.
Not only has cycling history been carved from these mountains, but European history has also been played out in the jagged rocks of these spectacular peaks. During the First World War, the Dolomites peaks were a horrific battlefield between the Austro-Hungarians and the Italian armies. Relics from that period are still being uncovered all the time as different seasons reveal more artefacts from beneath the snow.
Climate
Gearing
Details
What's Included
- 4 night’s accommodation
- All breakfasts and evening meals at the hotel and local restaurants*
- Airport transfers – transfer times to be arranged
- Experienced and local language guides
- Mechanical support / building and packing of bikes
- Support vehicle to follow rides
- Road side picnics on ride days
- Digital route files for your GPS Devices
- Complimentary sports nutrition
- La Fuga welcome pack
*Meals are included up to a specific budget after which a supplement will be applied
What's not Included
- Flights
- Restaurant lunches stops and coffee stops
- All drinks with meals
- Personal travel insurance
- Incidental expenses
- Parts and spares used during the trip
- Tips and gratuities
- Massages
- Bike Rental option available during the checkout
Itinerary
You will be met at the airport by our La Fuga guides who will transfer you to our hotel in the heart of the Dolomites. The journey time is around 3hrs.
On arrival at the hotel, your bike will be unpacked and ready to go. Depending on arrival time, it will be possible to do a short leg loosener to spin out the legs after the journey. A ride to the top of the Passo Gardena is a great option.
There will be time to wander around the hotel and gaze at the memorizing beauty of this stunning valley with sheer rock pinnacles surrounding you in every direction. Dinner will be taken in the hotel restaurant, which serves excellent local Ladin cuisine. Your tour manager will give you a run down for what to expect over the coming days.
Our ride today takes us over the Passo Fedaia, better known as the Marmolada, but first, the route takes us up the steady climb of Val Parola, a fairly short 8km long climb. The top of the pass was the scene of vicious fighting during the First World War, and the museum at the top tells the story of the front line of fighting. The route then takes a beautiful 10km descent of the Passo Falzarego before climbing to the top of the Passo Fedaia.
The Passo Fedaia saddles the Marmolada mountain and is the highest peak in the Dolomites at 3343m, but don’t worry, the pass tops out at 2057m. The start of the climb takes a single track road that picks its way through a deep rock-lined gorge, with numerous spectacular waterfalls adding to the drama. The climb then re-joins the main road for the final ascent to the summit with some steep pitches at the end to test your resolve. You’ll be treated to some amazing vistas from the top as you gaze up across the lake towards the glacier and the highest peak in the Dolomites.
The Fedaia regularly features in the Giro d’Italia, and 2021 see its return again with a brutal stage which also takes in the Passo Pordoi and the Passo Giau before finishing in Cortina. Your route will also take in the Passo Pordoi before a final short climb of Campolongo before rolling back into the hotel.
Shorter Route – A shorter route option is available on this day
84km – 2,000 metres
Today’s ride takes in a very special route across to the Tre Cime di Lavaredo. The Tre Cime is another climb that has featured in the Giro d’Italia many times. Battles between Eddy Merckx and Fuente have been fought over the steep slopes to decide the Giro d’Italia. More recently, in 2013, Vicenzo Nibali took the stage and secured his overall lead in the Giro d’Italia on a super cold day with snow falling as he crossed the line.
To get to the Tre Cime, we’ll take the easy climb of Passo Val Parola and then ride down the Passo Falzarego to Cortina. You’ll pass through the town and start climbing the Passo Tre Croci.
As you pass the lake at Misurina, the climb to Tre Cime di Lavaredo starts, easy at first and even some downhill. The upper slopes get progressively steeper, with the last 4km averaging over 10%. We’ll have some lunch in the Refuge taking in the beauty of the surrounding peaks, and maybe sample a piece of the ‘Apple strudel’ famous in the area. The route back takes an easier route back to the hotel with the steady climb up to Passo Falzarego.
Shorter Route – A shorter route option is available on this day
79km – 1,800 metres
After some incredible riding in the Dolomites, your legs will no doubt feel a little tired today, but the mighty Passo Giau is on the list for today. You’ll set up from the hotel and climb the Campolongo from Corvara before heading down the valley towards the bottom of the Giau.
The Passo Giau is a spectacular climb where every kilometre that you climb takes reveals more of the beautiful rock faces of the Cinque Torri (Five Towers). It is known as a tough climb, but the rewards are amazing for all that effort. With some lunch scheduled at the top, you can relax and enjoy the ride magnificent surroundings.
A superb sweeping descent takes you to Pocol, where the Falzarego awaits. The Val Parola descent takes you back to the hotel for relaxation and a refreshing drink at the hotel.
Shorter Route – A shorter route option is available on this day
61km – 1,900 metres
Enjoy your last few hours in the Dolomites with a relaxing breakfast at the hotel. Your La Fuga mechanic will pack up your bike, ready for the journey back to Venice airport for an afternoon flight back home.
Accommodation
Hotels may be subject to change from time to time due to availability.
Dolomites Cycling Tour
