Cyclopaat, an alter ego with a twist
All things Giro d’Italia, Bike Rebel style
My most favorite spot in this cycling heaven, is Corvara in Badia or Kurfar.
“Amore Infinito” is a Giro d’Italia official social media hash tag, which for me is perfect for this area ❤️♾️
In 2011, I climbed the Pinei from Ponte Gardena and noticed a “split” near Castelrotto to the Alpe di Siusi.
Back then, I continued the route through Castelrotto, but for this year’s Giro, I looked up that climb which was not originally in the road book and I constructed a stage to it.
Leaving Corvara, I first climbed the Gardena from our front door.
I then descended the 30+ kilometers to Ponte Gardena, with a stop for some more shopping in Selva.
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 and 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.
As it was raining when we got up and the forecast was not very promising either, or perhaps because I was afraid of a chamois dance on my own remains, I decided to soft pedal the Sella range a bit.
Just a bit, only Campolongo and Pordoi – not even half the Sella Ronda.
Or it would have been, had I not returned the way I came 🙂
So, I went up and down the Campolongo like I did on Friday, but in Arabba I turned right.
That leads to the Pordoi from there, a climb I had not done in 2011.
Because a ride to the start of the Würzjoch/Passo delle Erbe would mean a 20 kilometer descend to Piccolino to start with, I decided to pick that stage for today.
It would also involve the “whole nine yards” of the Gardena, from Ponte di Gardena.
Only two climbs – sounds like a rest day, right?
Well, okay – it was going to be a 130 kilometer round trip, but with an additional near flat of some 25 kilometers, between Bressanone and the Gardena, that shouldn’t be too much of a problem…
(An alternative Sella Ronda)
I decided on the “clockwise” alternative of the stage I initially set, including the Fedaia from Rocca Pietore.
But I wish I hadn’t…
I first headed for La Villa and climbed the Valparola.
That already seemed to be harder than I remembered, but the descent of the Falzarego and onwards to Caprile didn’t do me a lot of good.
I hadn’t looked at the profile of the Fedaia – I just knew it was supposed to be “more challenging” than the climb from the other end, which was more or less a recovery ride in 2011.
And more challenging it was…
