GIRO DELLE DOLOMITI

Ph.Credit: Giro delle Dolomiti/Ravanelli

SELLARONDA powered by Q36,5

25 July – 3.350 m | 160 km 

Start: h. 9.00

Crono Selva Val Gardena  – Passo Sella | 8,60 km • 628 m

SHORT STAGE DESCRIPTION

A spectacular stage around the Sella group that any cyclist should have done at least once in his or her life. The fatigue of the ascent to the four passes is compensated by the fun descents while the eyes admire the green pastures and the majesty of the shimmering mountains that surround us. Once the group has reached Selva Gardena, where the timed section to the Sella Pass begins, everyone must find the right cadence in order not only to conquer the Sella, but also to have the strength for the other three passes, namely the Pordoi Pass, the Campolongo Pass and the Gardena Pass, which after the summit finish gives way to an almost interminable descent to Bolzano.

Ph. Credit: TVB Vinschgau / APT Val Venosta

PASSO STELVIO 

26 July – 1.885 m | 57,3 km 

Start: h. 9.00 (7.00 from Bolzano) 

Crono  Prato allo Stelvio – Passo Stelvio | 23,3 km • 1.806 hm

SHORT STAGE DESCRIPTION

Bus transfer from Bolzano to Prato dello Stelvio where a rich refreshment awaits us before starting the legendary climb up the Stelvio Pass. As soon as we leave the village we are on the starting line of the timed section. With still pedalable gradients we reach the villages of Gomagoi and Trafoi. Here we begin the 48 U-turns on the South Tyrolean side. It is surely one of the most impressive roads in the world! Not for nothing is it called “the Queen of Alpine roads.” The road was built between 1820 and 1928 as an alternative route between Tyrol and Lombardy region, then Austro-Hungarian territory. At the top we descend toward Bormio and after a few km we turn left to take us over the Umbrail Pass (Giogo di S. Maria), on the border between Italy and Switzerland. On Swiss territory we descend to S.Maria Münstair where we enter the Monastero Valley that takes us back to Italy. As soon as the fortified city walls of Glorenza/Glurns become visible, we are also almost at our destination. We enter the town through the big gate and cross it along the main street. At the end we reach the festival square, where lunch is served in the shade of the fortified city walls. Outside the walls the buses are waiting for the return to Bolzano.

PASSO FEDAIA powered by SPORTLER 

27 July – 2.812 m | 147 km

Start: h. 8.30 

Crono Penia – Lago di Fedaia  | 7,2 km • 499 m

SHORT STAGE DESCRIPTION

This stage takes us to the foot of the highest mountain in the Dolomites, Marmolada, 3,343 m.a.s.l. covered with the only glacier ice in the Dolomites. After tackling the long ascent that leads from Bolzano to the Carezza Pass, we descend into the Fassa Valley, which we ride to Canazei to join the SS 641 that takes us over the Fedaia Pass. In Penia is the starting line for the timed section, a stretch that is not particularly long but no less challenging than the previous ones, ending on the dam of Lake Fedaia, at the foot of the Marmolada. The return follows the way of the outward journey to the Costalunga Pass where we head on a false flat to the Nigra Pass and then quickly descend to Tires and continue on to Prato Isarco where we find ourselves back on the SS 12 leading to Bolzano.

Ph.Credits: Michael Guggenberg / TVB Jenesien, Mölten

S. GENESIO – AVELENGO powered by MARLENE

28 July – 1.347 m | 80,9 km 

Start:  8.00 a.m.

Crono Bolzano – S. Genesio | 10,8 km • 922 m

SHORT STAGE DESCRIPTION

This stage leads up the Tschöggelberg, as the extensive plateau between Jenesien (San Genesio) and Hafling (Avelengo) is called. It starts right away with the timed stretch from Bolzano to Jenesien, on which 950 metres of altitude difference have to be overcome over a length of 11 km. Once you have reached the finish line in Jenesien, the route continues in the shade of the larches, undulating, past paddocks with Haflinger horses and extensive pastures, to Mölten. We leave the small village on the left to tackle the 7 km to Vöran, where the next refreshment station is waiting. After a total of 43 km, we arrive in Hafling, from where we have to descend about 1000 metres in a rapid ride down into the Etschtal valley. From Merano we roll quickly through the Adige Valley towards our destination in Bolzano.