- From Corvara -As the easiest and shortest climb on both the Sella Ronda and the Maratona dles Dolomites you may assume it is a walk in the park but like all mountain roads you underestimate it at your peril. The climb begins its ascent in the center of Corvara with a straight ramp and then as you start to leave town the hairpins start. Unlike most mountain passes where the corners allow a period of respite from the tough straights between them, the bends on the Campolongo are the opposite. They are in fact steeper than the straights so need a bit more of a push to get round each one. After two kilometres of relentless turns the road then straights up and the last four kilometers are in an almost direct line all the way to the many cafés and restaurants at the top.

The easiest of the four peaks that form the Sella Ronda, the Passo Campolongo may only be six kilometres in length on its longest side but it is still to be treated with respect. Climbed twice during the famous Maratona dles Dolomites and as the first climb on the 138km route it can be very congested as riders of all abilities either struggle to climb or struggle to pass those struggling to climb. The best riding experience is to be had heading south but if you’re looking for the best visual stimulation then you need to be descending, heading north into the Alta Badia. The Giro d’Italia has to date crossed the climb a total of 14 times but always onto or away from tougher obstacles so the climb has thus not been the venue for any remarkable victories.

passo-campolongo-from-corvara

Passo Campolongo | Cycling Routes Dolomites | CyclingHero

Passo Campolongo

- From Pian Schiavaneis -Both sides of the Pordoi are spectacular to ride but the eastern flank from Canazei is just that little bit more dazzling. Rising out of town the hairpins start right away and there are a total of 28 to negotiate on your way to the summit. With a gradient that never exceeds 9% the slopes of the Pordoi never hurt your legs too much and for the majority of its ascent stick to a comfortable 6-7% slope. After a flourish of seven hairpins the road then straightens out, squirms around a little more before arriving at the turn for the Passo Sella. Heading west at the junction you continue to trawl through the thick forest in search of the final series of bends and in the last two kilometre are no less than 12 tight corners which assures a dramatic finish to the most famous of the Dolomite’s climbs.

The organisers of the Giro d’Italia soon realised that there were few better ways to showcase the Dolomites than via the Passo Pordoi. Linking Canazei in the Val di Fassa with Arabba in Val Cordevole it sits in the shadow of the mighty Sasso Pordi, or the terrazza delle Dolomiti (the terrace of the Dolomites). The pass became synonymous with the late great Fausto Coppi who was first across its summit no less than five times along his way to winning the race a total of four times. Coppi first arrived on its slopes in 1940 crossing with his rival Gino Bartali whilst leading the race at his first attempt and at the summit there stands a monument in his honour.

passo-pordoi-from-pian-schiavaneis

Passo Pordoi | Cycling Routes Dolomites | CyclingHero

Passo Pordoi

- From Caprile -This climb can best be divided into two sections. The first part before Malga Ciapela is irregular, as a fairly abrupt start after Caprile gives way to a kinder section through and beyond Sottoguida. Not easy, but nothing too demanding. Everything changes once you reach Malga Ciapela. The next 3 km through the ‘Graveyard of Champions’ are an unrelenting battle to keep moving forward, as the road rarely drops below 12%, and regularly visits 15%. Compounding this is the almost straight road that provides little distraction as you crawl your way upward. As you near the top of the climb, the tighter switchbacks provide a bit of respite, but by then the altitude will be adding to the mix. But you are almost there. Passing the Rifigio Fedaia at the top, take a left onto the quiet road leading to the Rifugio Dolomia and ‘Bar Diga’ for a well earned drink and fabulous views of the Marmolada glacier.

Not as rich in views or other distractions as other Dolomite climbs, the Passo Fedaia is best known for a particularly brutal section dubbed the ‘graveyard of champions’ which will definitely test your resolve. Still keen? Read more below.A fairly recent addition to the Giro, the climb and first summit finish on the Passo Fedaia only took place in 1970 during stage 18, and was won by Michele Dancelli. However, that year the stage actually ended before the hardest section after Malga Ciapela, so it only partially qualifies as an ascent. Although the pass featured in several Giro stages after this first partial ascent, the first actual summit finish on the full Fedaia did not occur until Stage 15 of the 2008 Giro, which was won by Emanuele Sella. The most recent summit finish on the Fedaia was stage 20 in 2022, which was won by Allesandro Covi. However, the real drama of this stage was in the fight between Richard Carapaz and Jai Hindley. It was on the ‘graveyard of champions’ that Carapaz cracked and Jai Hindley gradually rode away to the GC win.

passo-fedaia-from-caprile

Passo Fedaia | Cycling Routes Dolomites | CyclingHero

Passo Fedaia

This is a real tough one, a proper challenge into unpopulated and quiet mountains so make sure you are well fueled and mentally and physically ready for battle. Leaving Borgo Valsugana you head up through Telve on a moderate gradient to begin by passing various villages as you wind through the dark forest. Although there is the odd spike in the slope there is nothing too demanding until you reach the infamous final seven kilometres. Set almost entirely on a constant gradient of between 10 and 15% on an impossibly narrow road they twist through a multitude of hairpins on a merciless journey into wild isolation.

The Passo Manghen is a relatively late edition to the great roads of the Dolomites having been built as late as 1958 over the route of an old mule track. 18 years later it then made its tempestuous debut in the Giro d’Italia largely because the final 12 kilometres were still unpaved. The great Eddy Merckx proclaimed that it was more ‘fit for cyclo cross than a road race’ and he was being polite. The eventual winner of that year’s Giro, Felice Gimondi, proclaimed that race organiser Vincenzo Torriani “deserved to be truncheoned’ for including it. Such was the uproar the climb didn’t appear on the route again until 1996 when thankfully the upper slopes had been paved, however even though now sealed under a layer of tarmac they are still ferociously steep and to this day present one of the hardest challenges a rider can face.

passo-manghen

Passo Manghen | Cycling Routes Trentino | CyclingHero

Passo Manghen

- From Bormio -Leaving Bormio, the north side of the climb is the slightly easier of the two, but only by a fraction. The first four kilometres are shallow and steady before you reach a two kilometres stretch that averages close to 9%, just a taste of what lies ahead. Unlike its neighbour the Stelvio the Gavia is not littered with hairpins having just 10 all clustered together past the village of Santa Caterina then after these it is an almost straight line to the top. What it does have though are some very tough kilometres of 10% plus climbing that will really punish your legs on their way to the exposed and often snow lined high altitude summit.

Gavia Pass was initially included in the Giro d’Italia in 1960 when Italian rider Imerio Massignan crossed the summit first but it is its second crossing that it’s most famous for. The Gavia cemented its place in cycling and Giro d’Italia history thanks to the exploits of the American Andy Hampsten in the 1988 race. In blizzard conditions that would certainly see the race stopped today Hampsten made it across the top and down the other side, beating the cold and his competitors to take the Maglia Rosa then go on to win the race. In now iconic scenes we are likely to never witness again and thanks to some forward planning (including the purchase of a pair of warm ski gloves) he triumphed and rode himself and the Gavia into cycling folk law forever.

passo-gavia-from-bormio

Passo Gavia | Cycling Routes Bormio | CyclingHero

Passo Gavia  from Bormio

- From Semonzo -Of the ten ascents we focus on the climb from Semonzo which although not as popular as the ‘classic’ route up Strada Cadorna from Romano d’Ezzelino packs far more punch. Kicking off with a barrage of hairpins the road ramps up through the forest twisting back and forth so rapidly it almost makes you dizzy. Set on an 8-9% gradient the first nine kilometres are tough, yet harder slopes lie ahead. Following a brief flat section the gradient then rises above 10% and really bites, but the rewards are worth it as the colossal views out over the plains come into sight. With what looks like the whole of Italy laid out beneath you push on up through the final bends to arrive at the wonderful Rifugio Bassano which is just the perfect place for lunch.

When the Italian front was broken in WW1 the troops retreated to Monte Grappa and although crushed and exhausted, heroically built a defense barrier that prevented the Austro-Hungarian army from reaching the Venetian plains. Nowadays the only battles the mountain sees are those against gravity and although it doesn’t have a long history with the Giro d’Italia it has played host to two summit finishes, firstly in 1968 when Emilio Casalini triumphed and more recently in 2010 when Vincenzo Nibali won. Racing aside, the mountain is also famous for the Brevetto del Monte Grappa, a challenge to any rider who can complete all ten ascents in the space of a year.

monte-grappa-from-semonzo

Monte Grappa | Cycling Routes Veneto | CyclingHero

Monte Grappa

- From Selva di Cadore -Unlike the other climbs that grace the route of the Maratona the Passo Giau is a monster. Don’t let its modest 10km length trick you into thinking otherwise because it is set on a vicious 9.5% average. Twisting through 29 numbered hairpins there is hardly a metre of respite from bottom to top of this iconic road which as beautiful as it is never relents in dishing out the punishment. The lower slopes are wooded and offer slight protection from the weather but after seven kilometres once you reach hairpin 18 the climb arrives on its divine green pastures as the scenery opens up. From here to the summit although your legs will be screaming at you is one of the most amazing places you can pedal a bike anywhere, so ignore the pain and enjoy.

Peaking in the shadow of Nuvolau Alto, the 2,647 metre granite tower that stands above the pristine mountain pastures that adorn its higher slopes, the Passo Giau is a place of almost incomprehensible beauty. A relative newcomer to the route of the Giro d’Italia it wasn’t included until 1973 when, still a gravel track the newspaper La Stampa described it as a ‘horrific obstacle’. It was a further 16 years until it was used again, in fact it was only given a layer of tarmac as recently as 1986 because as the nearby Passo Falzarego took all the traffic it was very seldom used. Once it was sealed though it soon became a firm favourite of the Giro and not long after cemented itself as the jewel in the crown of the Maratona dles Dolomites route.

passo-giau-from-selva-di-cadore

Passo Giau | Cycling Routes Dolomites | CyclingHero

Passo Giau

- From Prato allo Stelvio -Sitting at the base of the Stelvio, with the knowledge of what lies ahead is daunting for any rider whether they are someone about to ride their first mountain or a seasoned World Tour professional. The key is to break it down into parts and just enjoy the journey because it really does not get much better. With 48, yes 48 hairpins this magnificent road ambles upwards though the valley in a pretty much straight line for the first 12 kilometres and it’s then the bends start with a vengeance. For the next seven kilometres you zig zag up through the forest until around bend 24 you break free of the trees and for the first time catch sight of what lays ahead. There are few more terrifying sights for a cyclist than those last six kilometres carved into the mountain side before you, heading vertically upwards to the sky. There’s no turning back though, take a deep breath and get stuck into maybe the greatest theater you will ever ride through.

The Stelvio pass was designed by engineer Carlo Donegani who spent a whole year planning his masterpiece before work actually began in 1820. It took five years and 2500 people to complete the task to link the former Austrian province of Lombardy (now Italy) with the rest of Austria. What he built is regarded by many as the greatest road in the world and one that is now inextricably linked with cycling. It made its inaugural Giro appearance in 1953, 128 years after construction and first over the peak that day was the legendary Fausto Coppi on his way to winning the race overall. The pass is now a regular on the route and has also been used as a summit finish but inserting it into the parcour is always a risk. Standing at 2,756 metres means that while the rest of the surrounding mountains can be bathed in sunshine the Stelvio can be closed to snow even in August, so be prepared.

passo-dello-stelvio-from-prato

Passo dello Stelvio | Cycling Routes Bormio | CyclingHero

Passo dello Stelvio

- From La Villa -The climb is best ridden from La Villa in the base of the valley heading south through San Cassiano and although the early slopes are somewhat cluttered with a number of roundabouts the higher you climb the more amazing it becomes. With an opening six kilometres of very shallow 2-5% gradient the climb then begins to get a little harder after that but nothing more arduous than a brief 11% incline. The ascent isn’t littered with hairpins with just eight of them set in two groups of four so make the most of theses features when they arrive to break up the long straights. As you approach the summit the views behind you looking down the Badia valley are so mind blowing you will feel the need to pinch yourself to check if you are dreaming and will force you to stop pedalling to soak them up.

The Passo Valparola takes its name from the ironworks that were once near the pass, Valparola being the Latin translation of iron furnace valley. There has been a trail over the pass since the Stone Age but like many of the roads in this area it was the advent of WW1 that resulted in it being metaled. Its recent history is thankfully now linked to battles on two wheels such as that between Fausto Coppi and Gino Bartali in the 1946 Giro. Following an altercation with the event organisers the night before the race arrived on the Valporola Bartali ended up getting very drunk. The next morning, sensing his competitors inebriation Coppi launched an attack nine kilometres from the summit to eventually take five minutes out of his great rival and position himself as the virtual leader. Bartali was now forced to bribe past foes within the peloton to form alliances in order to reduce Coppi’s advantage, who, although going onto win the stage did not manage to capture the Maglia Rosa (race leaders jersey).

passo-valparola-from-la-villa

Passo Valparola - Bucket List

Passo Valparola

- From Corvara -Leaving Corvara heading west the difficulty of the slope increases gradually as you leave the busy tourist hub and through the first of the climb’s 17 hairpins enter the town of Colfosco. Steep through the corners the road passes many restaurants and bars before embarking on its far quieter journey into the paradise of the Dolomites. Set on a slope that never strays far from a 7% incline it’s the sort of road you could ride forever as you swing round its wide flowing bends beneath the towering limestone pinnacles. There is the odd spike in gradient that may force a gear change or have you leaving the comfort of your saddle but certainly nothing that will hurt so just pedal away and soak in the scenery.

Topping out at 2,121m the Passo Gardena, or to use its German name, the Grödnerjoch is one of the four mythical passes that make up what many call the perfect bike ride, the Sella Ronda. The two sides of the ascent offer distinctly different climbing experiences and although it’s the western face that features in the annual Maratona dles Dolomites it is the eastern side that is the longer and more rewarding to ride. Linking the Val Badia with the Val Gardena and set on a sublime 6.4% average gradient the climb is a joy to ride and has been included on the route of the Giro d’Italia 16 times to date although has never hosted a summit finish.

passo-gardena-from-corvara

Passo Gardena | Cycling Routes Dolomites | CyclingHero

Passo Gardena

- From Plan de Gralba -The north face of the Passo Sella starts way down the valley in Selva but it’s the section between Plan de Gralba and the junction of the Gardena pass to the summit that is famous and the part most often ridden. Dramatic from either side these final 5.4 kilometres of the northern flank are some of the most spectacular in all cycling. With the giant pinnacles of the Sass Long looming high above the smooth wide road snakes up the mountainside into a world almost beyond imagination. Never too steep but rising to almost 11% in places the large corners flow upwards without need for hairpins to eventually summit amongst a small collection of buildings and cafes and open up yet more amazing views over the other side.

The Sella Pass was first included in the route of the Giro way back in 1940 and has been frequently used in conjunction with the Gardena and Pordoi passes. On three occasions, in 1969, 1976 and 1998 is was also awarded the Cima Coppi (named after the great rider Fausto Coppi) which denotes the highest pass crossed by the race each year. Indeed it also nearly proved to be Coppi’s downfall during its first crossing as he struggled so much that he needed teammate Gino Bartali to stuff snow down his neck to revive him in his fight to defend the Maglia Rosa (race leaders jersey). The pass is now maybe best known for its inclusion on the Sella Ronda, the almost impossibly perfect loop around the center of the Dolomites that also takes in the passes Pordoi, Campolongo and Gardena.

passo-sella-from-plan-de-gralba

Passo Sella | Cycling Routes Dolomites | CyclingHero

Passo Sella

- From Andraz-Cernadoi -The start point of this side of the Falzarego isn’t as obvious as the beginning of many climbs so to complete the full distance the best place to begin is on the SR48 at the junction with the SR563. From here the road soon begins to rise as it passes through Andraz and heads up to Cernadoi on a modest 6% slope. Just before entering the village is the point where the long Maratona route splits from the medium route with the later following the bend round to the left. The remaining journey to the summit hovers around a 7% gradient and is interspersed with a total of 16 hairpins from here to the end. As you encroach on the finale the road dives into two tunnels, the second of which is unlit and lined with exposed rock to add that little extra drama to the end of your ascent.

The Passo Falzarego derives its name from Falza Rego which is Latin for False King and refers to a king of the Fanes who was apparently turned to stone for betraying his people. Connecting the territory of Agordo and Cortina d’Ampezzo the summit sits at the convergence of three routes, the two that make up the Passo Falzarego and joining from the north the Passo Valparola. Sitting above the summit is Mount Lagazuoi which has been described as a castle of rock after both Italian and Austrian armies dug tunnels and shelters in it during WW1, turning it into an impenetrable fortress. A key feature of the <a href="/event/maratona-dles-dolomites-enel-2024">Maratona dles Dolomites</a>, this ascent of the pass is the last major climb on the medium route for those entrants who took the wise decision to avoid the Passo Giau on the longer route.

passo-falzarego-from-andraz

Passo Falzarego | Cycling Routes Dolomites | CyclingHero

Passo Falzarego

- From Pedavena -Leaving Pedavena the climb of the Croce d’ Aune hits you hard right away so be ready for a kilometer of really tough gradient as you rise out of the town. Ride this section too hard and your legs will carry the effort all the way to the summit so dial it back a bit to save yourself for later on. The rest of the climb is a more sedate affair and offers no real significant obstacle with the gradient never tipping into double digits again. Packed with many slight undulations and multiple hairpins the very quiet road winds up through the thick forest until it reaches the small town of Croce d’ Aune. As you reach the apex, on your right you will see the bronze and marble memorial to the man whose contribution to cycling has benefited just about everyone who ever threw a leg over a crossbar.

Some climbs have history but few can rival the fame and significance of the Croce d’Aune and the events that unfolded on this pass on that fateful and freezing November day. Whilst competing in the Gran Primo della Vittoria the young Tullio Campagnolo, whilst struggling to remove the rear wheel of his bike to fix a flat had an epiphany. Born of his exasperation as he fought to undo the nuts he proclaimed that there must be a better solution. It was this moment that eventually led to the invention of the quick release skewer and the start of the Campagnolo story that went on to dominate the manufacture of cycle components and develop many of the devices we take for granted today.

croce-d-aune-from-pedavena

Croce d’Aune | Cycling Routes Veneto | CyclingHero

Croce d'Aune

- From Mazzo -Get ready for battle, everything you have read about this climb is true, it declares all out war on your legs from the very start and just gets harder and harder. That’s not to put you off though as this is the sort of challenge we cyclists live for, if the road exists, we want to climb it. Heading onto the wooded mountain slopes the narrow road starts on a 10% average slope, then increases to 11%, 12% and there is even a kilometre of 15%. Steeper still in patches you may never actually sit down in your saddle as you crawl between its 32 numbered bends. Passing the Pantani statue after eight kilometres try and take some inspiration from the legendary climber and fight on over the remainder of the climb which does, thankfully ease, just a little towards the summit.

Its not fantastic scenery or epic views that make the Mortirolo special, it’s all about the savage unrelenting tortuous gradient. The Mortirolo is the climb that started the current trend in modern cycling where organisers of the Grand Tours decided to seek out ever more challenging slopes to test the riders and entertain the public, and we love them for it.Its first inclusion in the Giro d’Italia was on stage 15 in 1990 and first to the summit was the late Marco Pantani. In honour of the great rider it has been given the nickname Salita de Pirata or ‘Pirate’s Ascent’ and since his death in 2004 the first rider to the top when it appears on the route of the Giro is now awarded the Cima Pantani.

passo-mortirolo-from-mazzo

Passo Mortirolo

You’ll have plenty of climbing in your legs by the time you reach Misurina at the base of the climb no matter what direction you have arrived from so a stop to refuel here is very much recommended. Leaving the small town you head east from the SP49 into the first part of the ascent, a short, twisting kilometre to get your legs warmed back up before it drops down to cross the flat valley floor. Passing the toll booth you soon arrive at maybe the hardest three and a half kilometres of climbing in the Dolomites. Never dropping below 10% this finish has broken even the world’s best riders so as your legs and lungs scream you can rest assured that pretty much every cyclist to have ridden here has felt exactly the same.

The Tre Cime di Lavaredo are a group of three giant dolomite peaks which until 1919 formed part of both the linguistic and political border between Italy and Austria-Hungary. One of the most recognizable sights in the Dolomites and consequently one of its most frequently visited attractions the road to the summit does get busy, although the €30 car toll does deter many. A favourite of the Giro d’Italia it was first included in 1967, however that inaugural stage was subsequently declared null and void due to the amount of riders who received helping pushes from spectators as they struggled on the savage gradients. The following year, presumably having fitted a better range of gears the peloton returned and the great Eddy Merckx took a victory that he declared one of his best ever.

tre-cime-di-lavaredo

Tre Cime di Lavaredo | Cycling Routes Dolomites | CyclingHero

Tre Cime di Lavaredo

- From Tovena -Heading north from Tovena the lower slopes, framed by towering peaks either side are very gentle as you ride into the valley towards the first of the 18 numbered hairpins. Still on a shallow incline the road now begins to sway round its flowing bends up the lush hillsides towards its dramatic finale. The first of the hairpin tunnels arrives just after the five kilometre mark and now the slope is steeper, but never too steep because built as a military road the gradient was never allowed to exceed 12%. Traffic, including cycles is only allowed in one direction from here with the tunnels controlled by lights so have some patience then revel in the unique experience of hairpin bends cut directly into a mountain.

Linking the towns of Tovena in the south and Trichiana in the north this pass is modest in length but with five of its 18 hairpin bends inside tunnels is one not to be missed. The project to construct a replacement for the steep path across this mountain was started in the late 19th century but was way behind schedule until the Austro-Hungarian army arrived during WW1. Deemed vital to supply their troops on the Piave front they finished the job between February and June 1918 using 7000 workers. Mostly Russian prisoners  they worked day and night to complete this marvel of road building in just 100 days. Was one of the categorized climbs of stage 19 of the 2019 Giro d&#39;Italia.

The CyclingHero Bucket List Climbs

Choose your challenge.

Passo Campolongo

Passo Pordoi

Passo Fedaia

Passo Manghen

Passo Gavia from Bormio

Monte Grappa

Passo Giau

Passo dello Stelvio

Passo Valparola

Passo Gardena

Passo Sella

Passo Falzarego

Croce d'Aune

Passo Mortirolo

Tre Cime di Lavaredo

Passo San Boldo

Passo Campolongo

Passo Pordoi

Passo Fedaia

Passo Manghen

Passo Gavia from Bormio

Monte Grappa

Passo Giau

Passo dello Stelvio

Passo Valparola

Passo Gardena

Passo Sella

Passo Falzarego

Croce d'Aune

Passo Mortirolo

Tre Cime di Lavaredo

Passo San Boldo