Location: Trentino-Alto. Adige
Departure: Caprile
Length: 15.0km
Altitude: 2,057m
Height Gain: 1,059m
Average Gradient: 7.5%
Maximum Gradient: 18.0%
Renowned for its 3 kilometres of agonizingly steep straight road, and its swirl of switchbacks towards its summit, Passo Fedaia, or Marmolada as it's often called, is one of the toughest climbs in the Dolomites.
Almost 2 kilometres along the route is the village of Rocca Pietore. Now on the SP641, it's just a further two kilometres to Sottoguda, another small village that provides the entrance-way to Serrai di Sottoguda, one of the most enchanting nature reserves in the Dolomites.
From Malga Ciapela the gradient rises
to 12% - and as high as 18% - and stays that way for the next 2.7 kilometres to
the Capanna Bill refugio. It was along this section of road that in stage
17 of the 1998 Giro d’Italia, Italian legend Marco Pantani took the maglio rosa
for the very first time. Demolishing race favourite Alex Zülle by 4 minutes, and
giving him a 30-second advantage over the rest of the field, it was the stage
that launched his road to victory less than a week later.
Just
as unremarkable as the assault up the valley from Malga Ciapela, the summit has
little to offer save for a bite to eat at the Refugio Fedaia. Worth a glance
before descending towards Canazéi, 14 kilometres down the other side, or back
to Caprile, is the azure blue Lago di Fedaia, just below Marmolada’s snow-covered peaks. Renowned for its 3
kilometres of agonizingly steep straight road, and its swirl of switchbacks
towards its summit, Passo Fedaia, or Marmolada as it's often called, is one of
the toughest climbs in the Dolomites.
Books by Mark Krieger:
‘High Spain Drifter’ is available on Amazon , Barnes and Noble, Booktopia and other online bookstores.
‘Lycra, Lattes and the Long Way Round’ is available on Amazon, Book Depository, Barnes and Noble, Kobo Books
Both books are also available at local bookshops on the Mornington Peninsula: @ Rosebud Bookbarn and @ La Brocante
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Thanks for your comment Leslie. To my experience, Italy has the best climbs in Europe. My only regret is that I've only climbed the Passo Fedaia just the once.
ReplyDeleteMark Krieger, Lycra, Lattes and the Long way Round