The Dolo, a myth!

My first visit to the Dolomites was more than 20 years ago. At the time, I had no idea of coming by mountain bike, the objective was rather to follow the vie ferrate, these routes equipped with a cable in the heart of the cliffs. I had quite incredible memories of it, these limestone towers planted above these green forests. A few years ago with Nico and Narbaix from the VTOPO crew we were in the Brenta, above Milan. Because the Dolomites are an immense massif which runs all the way to the Slovenian border. We weren't very convinced of what we had ridden, the trails weren't the best and we were a little far from the rocky massifs. From now on, I am looking for something more mineral, more interior and above all more beautiful! Information is difficult to find, I spend hours scouring the internet and the maps that I already have in my office. Nothing very concrete is emerging. I contact Pascal Gaudin, from Velorizons VTT. Pascal is the one who crossed the Alps independently from Slovenia to Nice. At VTOPO, we published his story, an extraordinary adventure through the Alps. Pascal knows the Dolomites well, he goes there regularly with clients as part of his agency. With his legendary kindness, he puts together a very complete little briefing. I return to the maps, excited to be able to really move forward. In a few days, I complete the trip, prepare the logistics, the itineraries, the tracks, the landmarks, the durations, the difficulties encountered. But also plans B, C or D, useful in the event of breakage, problems or unpredictable weather. Because in the Dolomites, time is one of the factors in the success of the project. You should expect sometimes violent thunderstorms almost every afternoon in August… Heading east, from France, the journey is long. It takes on average 8 hours from Marseille to reach the Dolomites. There are 2 of us leaving, I am accompanied by Stéphane, an old friend, who has dreamed of the Dolomites for a very long time. We arrive in Nuova Levante around 3 p.m., it is blazing sun. We are in the middle of a heatwave in Europe, the Dolomites are not immune. The sky is cloudy, but not threatening. The trip is designed on routes with a descending profile, we will use different means to start from the high points: cable cars, chairlift, van dropped off and hitchhiked or e-bike back up… Because Stéphane drives electric. We start gently with an easy descent into the bike park. This allows you to get used to it and removes the fatigue of the journey. Then we climb again to the top of the area for a beautiful route which passes by the magnificent Lago di Carrezza. The beginning is really beautiful, the path which winds through the forest is perfectly stabilized via a surface of fine gravel. We really have the impression that the ground has been laid out like this. Further down, around the lake, it's a hustle and bustle. The site is magnificent but crowded with people. It's a first alert that we don't pick up on. The last part is superb, playful, fast, in the woods. We're going at a good pace. Time to hitchhike to pick up the van, we find a small restaurant in the mountain pastures facing the mountains, ideal. Dinner is perfect, it starts to rain. All night long, it's falling heavily, we'll see tomorrow. As is very often the case here, in the morning, the weather is beautiful. The day promises to be magnificent with thunderstorms from 3 p.m. We start early with a route in the forest. Bad pick, with the rain of the night, the ground is undermined, soaked, muddy... We end up at the bottom in an impossible state. I hitchhike back to get the van, but I stop for 20 minutes at the start. An Italian couple takes me on board, we quickly get stuck in traffic, it's the 2nd alert. I'm starting to understand that I'm going to have to make do. Ultimately this rotation caused us to lose almost 2 hours… We attack our 2nd route of the day at midday… We climb under the cliffs of the Cima Catinaccio. After 500 m of very steep elevation gain, we reach the ring trail. The weather turned out well, we who had come in the afternoon for the light on the cliffs missed out. As a bonus, we come across countless pedestrians. That's it, we have just understood that we will no longer have to be on such trails in the afternoon. Further on, the weather becomes very threatening, thunder can be felt. We are speeding up, we are not very far from the refuge. The drops are getting bigger and bigger, we come across entire families leaving the shelter, at the most delicate moment. We barely had time to take shelter under an overhang of the roof when a deluge of water and hail fell on the mountain. We think of all these unconscious families who left at the worst time. We enjoy a good local polenta for lunch. The storms are always violent but short-lived in the Dolomites, we take our time and wait for the water to clear the paths. We begin the descent under a nice clearing. The descent is magnificent. It takes us a good hour to reach the valley. Back, we load the van and look for a car wash center. Luckily we found a self-service and covered station. We park the van in a shelter and carefully wash our mounts. The flood starts again... I take the opportunity to change my Hind Shark. Thanks to the BlackBurn bodybuilder pump, fitting tubeless is child's play. When you wake up, the weather is beautiful. The sky is clear, the sun has not yet risen. This time, we learned our lesson well. We start our route at Passo Sella, the top of the mountains starting to light up. It's a new, magical crossing in the mountain pastures. Nobody except us and a herd of chamois which fled when we arrived. We alternate climbs and descents to a magnificent typical Tyrolean refuge. We begin a long descent into the valley. We cross a marmot habitat, they all start to whistle as we approach. Then the path plunges into the woods for another fantastic driving experience. Back in the valley, in Canazei, we decide to discover the bike park routes. After 2 cable cars, we have just gained 1000 m of elevation gain. Right up there, the view of Passo Pordoi is fantastic. We attack the first banked turns, it goes easily. After 500 m of descent, we enter the woods. The rains the day before made the terrain particularly slippery, you have to be careful. We arrive at the bottom without incident. On the valley cycle path, we find a fruit seller, we rob her: blueberries, strawberries, raspberries... This will serve as lunch. Before taking the van back to Passo Sella, I treat myself to one last descent into the valley via a footpath. Another 1000 m of altitude difference swallowed in less than 20 minutes. I meet Stéphane at the top then we head towards Passo Gardena, the last descent of the day awaits us and not least, another 1000 m to Corvara. Well deserved rest. New day but still on the bikes. We go back to Passo Gardena and begin a new crossing. The light is magical, it's incredible. This route is very panoramic with exceptional views of the cliffs of the Sella group. After a good 2 hours of riding, we tackle the jewel of the day, a trail full of turns, admirably clean in the woods... We descend the 700 m of altitude with a smile that says it all. It's still early, let's go for the second route of the day. After boarding the Pralongia chairlift, we arrive at a superb ridge facing the Marmolada. The quality of the terrain is exceptional... We go on to the Passo di Campolongo. But the rest will leave its mark, we climb almost 500 m in altitude under oppressive heat and on a very steep track. On the other side, the route never ends, we end in another valley, rather uncrowded... Because we are a bit masochistic, we end our day at Passo Falzarego with another very long descent to Cortina. We finish late and tomorrow we have to get up early again! And it's a big day. From Passo Falzarego, we will continue more than 30 km of balcony crossings. Suffice to say that we don't have to hang around because in the afternoon, we are at the Tre Cime du Lavaredo. We leave again at dawn, under a clear sky. We are not dragging, the route is quite rolling, but has some good climbs. The views of the Tofane are splendid. After a good 2 hours of cycling, we tackle a smooth balcony path, with views over Cortina. At the very end, once again the Grail and an exceptional trail... 700 m of height difference of pure pleasure, fast, playful, fun... Incredible. Return to the valley, hitchhike back up (again laborious) and head towards the Tre Cime. We let a storm pass then took the toll road to access the Auronzo car park. Here, it's the Champs-Elysées, but it's no surprise as the place is so legendary. We take the Tre Cime path, slaloming between the pedestrians. After passing the refuge, we are surprised by a downpour, we quickly turn around to take shelter. The choice is wise, the downpour lasts and begins to empty the mountain, interesting. We leave around 5:00 p.m. and are treated to the most beautiful spectacle on the Tre Cime: the sun after the storm sets this magnificent site ablaze, we are almost alone. We took the opportunity to take a series of photos then climbed up a balcony path. I had spotted this route which seemed to be perfect for dominating the Tre Cime. Except that it’s a via ferrata! I decide to tightrope on these exposed ledges, the light is exceptional, we stay focused to get our images right, but this requires doing these exposed passages several times. I finish this session tired, but very excited to enjoy the last ray of sunshine in this mineral world. Back at the night car, we swallow a solid pizza then take a seat in the van for a short night. The next day, Stéphane decides not to ride. So I'm going alone to discover this territory. I walk to the Pian di Cenghia refuge, but I feel that I have no more juice. I suffer on the climbs, but still find pleasure in the downhill sections. The mineral environment around the refuge is quite incredible, it gives me some ideas to come back one day! On the way back, I dive into the valley to follow a trail with more than 1500 m of negative altitude difference. Stéphane is waiting for me downstairs as agreed at the meeting point. While we did the best and what we wanted more, the last day is cooler. We drive around Cortina while enjoying our last laps here. We stop our ride around noon for lunch then take the road back to France. These Dolomites will remain forever engraved in our memories. And above all, now we know that in this sector, there are new trails to discover! GO : From the South, via the A8 then A10 motorway (be careful when crossing Genoa after the collapse of the viaduct) then follow the direction of Venice. From the North, you can pass through the Alps and the various passes and tunnels. ALL THE INFORMATION: The Saint-Gervais Mont-Blanc site is very well done: www.saintgervais.com . WHERE TO EAT / WHERE TO SLEEP: There is no shortage of structures, the Dolomites are above all made up of ski resorts. So the supply is important. We advise you to eat local, there is no shortage of Tyrolean dishes on the menu. Or you still have excellent pasta whatever the restaurant. TO DO ON SITE: On a trip further afield, it is strongly recommended to do some vie ferrate (via ferrata in the singular). For this you will need adequate equipment and good mountain experience. We advise you in the Sella group, via Tridentina or Lipella in Cortina.

The Dolo, a myth!

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