Dolomites passes for road bikers

If you have the necessary fitness and stamina, you can combine more passes to one wonderful tour. Partially, these long circular tours will also touch the provinces of Trentino and Belluno.

Two passes are not enough

• The Sellaronda is not only a highlight for skiers, but also for road bikers: around Sella massif, road bikers cycle over the four passes Sellajoch (2,244 m), Grödner Joch (2,121 m), Pordoijoch (2,239 m) and Campolongo (1,875 m). There are several access points to this 58 km long tour. Starting from Wolkenstein in Gröden, the counter clockwise tour counts about 1,800 m of height difference.
• Along four passes of the Dolomites as well, but with even more difference in height – in fact 2,450 m – there is another circular tour starting in Corvara in Alta Badia. The 82 km long tour leads to La Villa, Valparola pass (2,168 m), Falzarego pass (2,105 m ) and Pocòl. After a short descent, there is an ascent to Giau pass (2,236 m). Via Colle Santa Lucia, the cyclists get to Arabba and back to Corvara via Campolongo pass (1,875 m).

A combination of two Dolomites passes

• From Blumau, a few kilometres in the east of Bozen, there are two roads up to Niger pass (1,690 m). The old road to Tiers has a gradient of 24 percent and is an even bigger challenge. From Karer pass (1,752 m) you can cycle along the beautiful waters of Karersee through Eggental Valley and back to Bozen – a 67 km long tour with 1,600 m of height difference and great views to Mt. Rosengarten and Mt. Latemar.
• Strenuous and scenically impressive as well is the 101 km long tour around the Three Peaks with about 2,300 m of height difference: The road bike tour goes from Toblach to Auronzo hut and Lake Misurina, Passo di Sant’Antonio (1,489 m) and Kreuzberg pass (1,636 m) back to Toblach via Sexten.

One pass is not enough

• Road bikers who would like to go to Würzjoch pass (1,982 m) with a magnificent view of the impressive Mt. Peitlerkofel, there are different variants. An about 90 km long circular tour with almost 2,300 m of height difference starts in Natz in Eisacktal and goes to Würzjoch pass over Brixen and St. Andrä. From there, you can go down to St. Martin in Thurn and Montal. On the Pustertal cycle path, you can go back to Mühlbach, Schabs and Natz.
• On Furkel pass, (1,789 m), it is much quieter than on other passes in the Dolomites. A recommendable tour, with almost 46 km and 1,100 m goes from Bruneck to Olang and Geiselsberg to Furkel pass. From there, you will get to St. Vigil in Enneberg and back to Bruneck via Maria Saalen and St. Lorenzen.

Our special tip:

The day of Sellaronda Bike Day, road bikers and other cyclists can discover four car-free mountain passes. Also, during the Dolomites Bike Day five passes in the Dolomites will be closed to motorised vehicles: Pordoi (2,239 m), Fedaia (2,057 m), Valparola (2,168 m), Falzarego (2,105 m) and Campolongo (1,875 m).