Route: SS243 Corvara to Passo di Sella - 9 miles

 

Ridden: 12/06/2009 & 13/06/2009

 

A really pretty and flowing pass both up and down. You can see the pass summit as soon as you leave Corvara and from fairly early on from the Sella side. Since it takes a lot of skiing traffic the road is fairly wide and well surfaced.

 

 

Route: SS641 Canazei to Rocca Pietore - 14.9 miles

 

Ridden: 12/06/2009

 

From Canazei a fast flowing road with just about 5 open hairpins takes you up to the top of the Fedaia. After skirting the lake the road drops down the valley in similar style to Rocca Pietore.

 

At the top to your right is the Marmolada group containing the highest mountain in the Dolomites, and one of the many museums dealing with the WWI conflict between Italy and Austria.

 

 

Route: SS241 Ponta Nova to San Giovanni - 14.4 miles

 

Ridden: 12/06/2009

 

From the Ponta Nova end the pass climbs in a nice flowing manner up past the Karersee – a beautiful lake on the right hand side. Towards the top there’s a turn left to the Passo Nigra. On the descent to San Giovanni, the road is much tighter, This road has a lot of tourist traffic so again it was beware on blind bends as you could come round and find a tour pass leaving you with just 3 or 4 feet to spare, or as on the Rolle, bikes on your side of the road!

 

 

Route: SS620 Cavalese to Ponta Nova - 13.6 miles

 

Ridden: 12/06/2009

 

A pass road which flowed nicely both up and down. Open at the top most of the descent to Ponta Nova was spent riding through the forest either side of the road.

 

 

Route: SP215 Tesero to Passo Lavaze - 4.3 miles

 

Ridden: 12/06/2009

 

It’s questionable whether this deserves the title of pass. From Tesero the road is signposted Passo Lavaze but as you climb out of town to join up with the SS620 from Cavalese to Ponta Nova you come across the sign indicating the pass. Technically speaking the road does drop down – just - before joining the 620.

 

 

Route: SS346 Falcade to Moena - 11 miles

 

Ridden: 12/06/2009

 

From Falcade the road twists and turns through a series of tightish bends including some hairpins up through the trees until towards the top it opens out into a fast and flowing road. From the top down the road has been designed to bring ski traffic up to the resorts at the summit and so the road is wide fast and flowing. This pass was liked by all who rode it, and was good from either direction, hence the rating.

 

 

Route: SP81 Passo di Rolle to Falcade Alto - 9 miles

 

Ridden: 12/06/2009

 

A couple of miles below the Passo di Rolle towards Predazzo is a right turn up the Passo Valles. The road is quiet and runs along side a mountain stream. Its extremely pretty and nice to ride as well as the road flows nicely through woods before it emerges above the tree line at the top of the pass. The run down towards Falcade is nice too, with only a couple of hairpins to interrupt your flow. Before you turn off towards Falcade, the road bears to the left and the San Pellegrino pass starts.

 

 

Route: SS50 Fiero di Primiero to Predazzo - 26 miles

 

Ridden: 12/06/2009

 

A fairly main route in the Dolomites with all the disadvantages that entails i.e. a lot of traffic, some of which lacks the discipline to stay on their side of the road. This indisciplined traffic includes bikes. Phil twice came round a bend to find a bike heading for him! The road was well surfaced but it's not easy to keep up a good rhythm, especially in the lower reaches from Fiera to San Martin di Castrozza, where the pass proper started. Unfortunately the need to keep your wits about you on any road of this type were emphasized by coming round a corner to find a lot of bikes parked up along with an ambulance containing what we envisaged to be a seriously injured biker.

 

 

Route: SP347 Gosaldo to Fierea di Primiero - 10 miles

 

Ridden: 12/06/2009

 

The road from Forcella Aurine continues in the same vein over the Passo di Cereda which is only 70m higher. A pleasant enough road.

 

 

Route: SP347 Agordo to Gosaldo - 10 miles

 

Ridden: 12/06/2009

 

The road out of Agordo is a pleasant and undemanding climb over the lowest pass in the 18 pass route. You are always beneath the tree line so the scenery is not as bare as on the higher passes.