Cycling the Tre Cime di Lavaredo

The Tre Cime di Lavaredo are a group of three giant dolomite peaks which until 1919 formed part of both the linguistic and political border between Italy and Austria-Hungary. One of the most recognizable sights in the Dolomites and consequently one of its most frequently visited attractions the road to the summit does get busy, although the €30 car toll does deter many.

A favourite of the Giro d’Italia it was first included in 1967, however that inaugural stage was subsequently declared null and void due to the amount of riders who received helping pushes from spectators as they struggled on the savage gradients. The following year, presumably having fitted a better range of gears the peloton returned and the great Eddy Merckx took a victory that he declared one of his best ever.

You’ll have plenty of climbing in your legs by the time you reach Misurina at the base of the climb no matter what direction you have arrived from so a stop to refuel here is very much recommended. Leaving the small town you head east from the SP49 into the first part of the ascent, a short, twisting kilometre to get your legs warmed back up before it drops down to cross the flat valley floor.

Passing the toll booth you soon arrive at maybe the hardest three and a half kilometres of climbing in the Dolomites. Never dropping below 10% this finish has broken even the world’s best riders so as your legs and lungs scream you can rest assured that pretty much every cyclist to have ridden here has felt exactly the same.