Ride
South
For sure, the Dolomites are on the bucket list of most avid cyclists. The unique round trip around the Sella massif is probably the most beautiful mountain stage of the Giro d’Italia. It had become legendary in the days of riders like Fausto Coppi when people still rode on gravel roads. No wonder our friend Simon also had this classic on his agenda. But, he tells us, if the Dolomites, why not cross the Alps from north to south, from Switzerland to Slovenia? No sooner said than done!
After Simon had worked out a route from Zurich to Ljubljana that would cross as many passes as possible, he set off south. At first, accompanied by a friend, he climbed the Wolfgang Pass (1631 m.a.s.l.), the first pass of his tour, shortly before Davos, after riding along Lake Walen and through the Rhine Valley. He then climbed the Flüela (2383 m.a.s.l.), the first major alpine pass, taking him from the Landwasser valley into the Lower Engadine. The first day of his tour was very long at 9 hours, and with time Simon shortened the stages to enjoy some time off the saddle.
From the Lower Engadine, it went down to the long Ofen Pass (2149 m.a.s.l.) through the Swiss National Park, whose impressive scenery put Simon in the mood for the Southern Alps. There he felt the intense rays of the sun that warm the valleys from spring onward and make for rich fruit and wine growing. On the way through the fertile valleys of South Tyrol, pretty villages, numerous castles, palaces, and monasteries testify to the rich history of this area as well as its prosperity. The Austrian Empire had gambled away South Tyrol in the First World War, and much still reminds us that the area has only been part of Italy for a little over a hundred years.
From Merano, his tour did not take the comfortable route south down the broad Adige Valley to Bolzano. Instead, Simon turned his bike north and rode up the Passeier Valley to conquer the Jaufen Pass (2094 m. a.s.l.) over numerous curves and ride down to the proud little town of Sterzing (Vipiento) in the Wipp Valley. The fourth day of his tour finally took him to the most famous peaks of the Dolomites, the Sella massif. The bright limestone peaks of the mountain group rise abruptly like teeth out of green meadows and fir forests and characterize the impressive image of the area. Around this massif leads the legendary “Sellaronda,” a round trip of about 55 km over four passes, the Pordoi Pass (2239 m. a.s.l.), the Campolongo Pass (1875 m. a.s.l.), the Gardena Pass (2125 m. a.s.l.) as well as the Sella Pass (2218 m. a.s.l.). Simon climbed the Pordoi twice to continue his journey towards Slovenia. The weather was kind to Simon on this stage, and he could enjoy the impressive landscape fully.
Ljubliana has an unique flair - it's full of Austrian style buidlings but breathes a Mediterrean lifestyle.
The tour of the following days was no less challenging, even though as the days went by, the southern limestone Alps of the Karawanken slowly faded into the Slovenian karst landscape with its impressive river valleys, hills, and lakes. First, he climbed Monte Zoncolan (1750 m. above sea level). The western ascent to Zoncolan is considered one of the steepest and most challenging climbs in cycling in Europe. Over 10.5 kilometers and 1210 meters of altitude have to be climbed, with peak gradients of up to 22%. It is not without reason that this climb is one of the most legendary stages of the Giro.
After all these hardships and many more passes, Simon enjoyed the leisurely descent through wooded river valleys towards Slovenia. Along the way, he discovered a bike path on an old railroad line over old bridges and through tunnels. The water of the rivers shone turquoise in the sun from the minerals of the limestone mountains; warmer airs blew through the forests, you could feel the Mediterranean getting closer and closer, even if the weather didn’t always want to make it summer. Arriving in Ljubljana, Simon enjoyed the unique flair of this city, which has a solid Austrian feel with its buildings but breathes a Mediterranean lifestyle.
The week-long trip, Simon tells us, was a lot of fun. From the second day on, he was able to do whatever he wanted, never had to coordinate, and was able to enjoy the trip and the landscape to the fullest. Although it rained heavily from time to time and the temperatures were relatively fresh, Simon enjoyed the lonely ride in the impressive landscapes very much. A unique tour that he can only recommend to everyone.
