Italské Alpy 2008 - Trasa 2 (Falcade - Torcegno)

Today the route will take us through the southern Dolomites and we are faced with two really tough climbs. First, we will ascend to Passo Valles (2033 m), from which we have already conquered part of the elevation the previous day. But today it won’t be a stroll, as the gradient of the road constantly hovers between 8-9%, and some sections (like the turnoff to Passo San Pellegrino) are a true test of willpower. The views are only on one side, where a deep valley opens up beneath us, bordered by the mountain barrier of Monte Focobon (which can be seen well from the campsite in Falcade). From the summit, where a wooden chapel stands out, there follows an equally steep but short descent alongside the beautiful mountain stream Travignolo (something like the Bílá Opava below Praděd). This will lead us into the tourist region of Paneveggio. We continue on the flat around the large reservoir. The flat ends after a few kilometers, and further downhill we descend into the well-known town of Predazzo, which lies on the border of the Val di Fiemme and Val di Fassa valleys. We will ride the first of these. In addition to Predazzo, there is another well-known center here - Cavalese and many smaller villages. The valley lies at an altitude of 1000 m and offers excellent conditions for downhill and classic skiing as well as mountain biking. After this restful stretch, our legs will once again get a serious workout. We have to overcome the southernmost two-thousander of the Dolomites - Passo Manghen (2047m), which the cyclists had to tackle in this year's Giro. The road winding through the wooded valley is initially easy, but about halfway it gets significantly tougher, with the road narrowing to about half (the forest remains). The deadly gradient of 9-10% holds firm all the way to the top, with the final kilometers between mountain meadows being very beautiful. Traffic on the road is minimal. We count more cows than cars. The mountains around the pass belong marginally to the Lagorai range and have an atypical appearance for the Dolomites, resembling more so the Roháče. The descent from Manghen is a great experience. It is a joy to ride on the winding road 'in no man's land', and for lovers of high speeds, it’s a delight in the lower part of the descent when it rolls nicely again. At the junction above Telve, we do not continue the descent, but turn right and finish the stage a little above the village of Torcegno.