Tre Cime di Lavaredo & Giau
It looked like it was now or never for the attack on Tre Cime di Lavaredo. I let go of the idea to make that a 150+ kilometer round trip, so we transferred to Cortina d’Ampezzo by car…
From there, I eventually found the way up to Tre Croci, which could be considered a warm up for the real thing.
Descending the Tre Croci and then climbing back up to the Lago di Misurina, brought me to the start of the tough part of the climb up Tre Cime.
Paula had to pay no less than 24 Euro to get past the toll gate – seeing you on a bicycle, they just laugh at you and you pay nothing – and while it was ever getting colder, I started to inch my way up.
The almost moderate average of the grades (12.4%) in the last 4 kilometers, is caused by two flat(ter) sections and the hairpins. Everything in between the hairpins, is over 14%…
Anyway, I made it all the way up, including the final stretch past Rifugio Auronzo, only to enjoy no view to speak off because of the clouds.
At least the soup and sandwich in the restaurant were great.
While I was enjoying those, I decided I might just as well have a shot at the Giau from Cortina – it would save me the trouble of having to get there again.
So, I descended from Tre Cime, climbed Tre Croci from the other side – not much of a challenge – and from Cortina, I started the climb of the Giau, which has the first 5 kilometer or so – until Pocol – in common with the Falzarego.
It had been raining on and off all day so far, but now it really started to pour down. Suffice it to say that it was not a whole lot of fun to struggle up “the easy side” of the Giau – the easy part stops at Pocol, after which grades of 10% and over are wearing you out just as much as from the other side…
And after a warming drink and a bite at the desolate looking summit, I still did not descent the Giau by bike – even I have a limit.
Garmin – the Edge got very confused up the Giau. Maybe because of the weather, but it was annoying to see 0% or even negative grades.
I do use the number on the head unit, as I can tell on “eyesight” what the incline of the road approximately is. But whether it’s 8.5% or 10% is hard(er) to guess, and that extra 1.5% makes a lot of difference in terms of effort.
For me anyway…
