016 Sellaronda

Course: Selva Gardena(1.563 m) - Passo Gardena (2.121 m) - Colfosco (1.645 m) - Corvara (1.568 m) – Passo Campolongo (1.875 m) - Arabba (1.602 m) - Passo Pordoi (2.239 m) - Bivio Sella (1802 m) – Passo Sella (2.240 m) - Selva Gardena (1.563 m)

Highlight: The Sellaronda is the best-known and most desired tour of the Alps, in winter on skis, in summer on road bikes! There is a valid reason for its popularity: on the one hand, this tour provides wonderful views of the Dolomite rock formations of the Sella Massif, the Sassolungo Massif or the Marmolada glaciers, as well as glimpses into the valley which is home to the famous villages of Corvara, Arabba or Canazei. On the other hand, the tour is popular for its altitude as it is located between 1500 and 2240 meters above sea level. The tour leads over four of the most famous Dolomite passes without excessively steep climbs, majestic curves and with no more than 700 m in altitude per step - A must for any road bike and mountain lover!
We go to Bolzano by car, take the highway to Chiusa and head towards Val Gardena to Selva. From there, we start the tour by bike. The individual steps include the following: Gardena Pass 2121m: After a few hairpin bends you reach a plateau. From there the route follows along the imposing north walls of the Sella massif, including a few more hairpin bends. With a gradient of approx. 8%. the road leads to Passo Gardena. The subsequent descent to Corvara through soft meadows is sensational: many hairpin bends, to the right the imposing walls of the Dolomites and, on the horizon, Corvara. Campolongo Pass 1875m: On the ascent `from` Corvara to the Campolongo Pass you will experience over 11 hairpin bends with a gradient of approx. 10% and with a splendid view over the valley of Corvara and of the breath-taking walls of the Sassongher which stand 2,665 meters high. The upper part of the ascent runs through green meadows. Without too many bends, you reach the pass in a short time. The descent to Arabba again offers a fantastic view of the Sasso Mezzodi, Arabba and the Pordoi Pass, which  is our next challenge. Pordoi Pass 2239m: 33 beautiful hairpin bends lead `from` Arabba to the Pordoi Pass and onto a new plateau. The climb has an 8% gradient and is not too challenging. The splendid views of Arabba over the valley and the Passo, with its majestic cable car on Sass Pordoi, make the climb very interesting. You then descend towards Canazei, until the crossroads for Passo Sella. Here you find a monument of the bicycle hero, Fausto Coppi. Finally, Passo Sella 2237m: At Pian Schiavaneis, at the crossroads at 1850 meters above sea level, the climb to the Passo Sella begins. With a slight incline, you cycle towards the bizarre towers of the Sella. Shortly after, the most demanding ascent of the tour begins: with a gradient of 13%, the road climbs under the walls of the Sella until you reach the pass, `where` a breath-taking view makes you forget every previous effort. You continue `from` the Sassolungo `group` to Canazei and up to the expanse of ice in the Marmolada. The day's efforts are over. Now, only a long descent remains until Selva Gardena, the final point of our tour.