Alta Badia Promotes Cycling Without Boundaries
In a unique combination of the natural beauty of the Dolomites and the passion for cycling, Alta Badia is the ideal place for cyclists. Whether you prefer road bikes, mountain bikes or electric bikes, this tourist destination offers a wide range of possibilities for all cycling enthusiasts. Cycling is the ideal way to discover a place that has a lot to offer in terms of landscape, culture, gastronomy and sustainability. In fact, Alta Badia was awarded the GSTC (Global Sustainable Tourism Council) certificate in 2022.
For years, Alta Badia has been the place of reference for cycling enthusiasts. Its strategic location, the possibility of organising bike tours of all kinds and difficulty, and the dream of following itineraries that have made cycling history make Alta Badia a destination that is both a goal and a starting point at the same time. From here you can reach and climb the famous passes of Pordoi, Sella, Gardena, Fedaia, Valparola, Falzarego, Giau and even reach the Tre Cime di Lavaredo. Every cyclist's dream.
MARATONA DLES DOLOMITES-ENEL: MUTATIO, AN EVENT DEDICATED TO METAMORPHOSIS
31.500 registrations from 86 nationalities have been received for the 37th edition of the Maratona dles Dolomites-Enel, scheduled for Sunday 7th July. The Granfondo attracts cyclists from all over the world every year and can be considered the queen of European cycling events. The theme that accompanies and characterises this edition is Mutatio, metamorphosis: everything changes and everything flows. The creation of the Marathon's logo is also in constant evolution, and this task has once again been entrusted to Manuel Bottazzo, who describes the Mutatio 2024 logo as follows: “As always, we started with artistic research, drawing on literature and art. From this research, we first of all extrapolated the colour violet, par excellence the colour of metamorphosis, transformation and the union of opposites. It was from this colour that we developed the first concept we wanted to express, that of creating an impalpable, ethereal, incomplete and therefore changeable typeface. The result is an open form that has no boundaries, almost at the limit of legibility, because it is still alive and mutating. Visibly unfinished, because the mutation will continue without end".
As usual the Dolomite Passes will draw the most attention: Campolongo, Sella, Pordoi, Gardena, Giau, Falzarego and Valparola. The three routes will remain the same, all closed to traffic: the real “Maratona” is 138 km long with a 4.230 m difference in altitude, the “Medium” route is 106 km long with a 3.130 m difference in altitude and the “Sella Ronda” route is 55 km long with a 1.780 m difference in altitude.
Those who are not lucky enough to participate have the chance to purchase online the 200 higher-priced registrations whose proceeds will go to charity, by visiting the website: www.maratona.it on 20th March 2024.
SELLARONDA BIKE DAY E DOLOMITES BIKE DAY: TWO EVENTS WITH THE DOLOMITE PASSES CLOSED TO MOTORISED TRAFFIC
The month of June is full of events that are now part of the cycling calendar, and the cycling events in Alta Badia once again combine the beauty of the landscape with sustainability. In fact, there are three days that allow those who do not have the opportunity to participate in the prestigious Maratona dles Dolomites-Enel to enjoy the Dolomite passes closed to car traffic. It begins on Saturday 8th June with the Sellaronda Bike Day, which will be repeated in September, and continues on Saturday 22nd June with the Dolomites Bike Day. The decision to make the Dolomite passes accessible only to cyclists for a few days each year confirms how sensitive Alta Badia is to the issue of sustainability.
These are non-competitive cycling events accessible to all, without the need for registration. The respective routes follow the route of the Maratona dles Dolomites-Enel, and other legendary routes.
On 8 June, the already traditional Sellaronda Bike Day takes place, during which the passes around the Sella Group are closed to traffic. The event will be repeated in September. From 08.30 to 16.00, keen cyclists will be able to take part in the non-competitive event, which runs in an anti-clockwise direction, is 53 km long and has an altitude gain of 1637 metres. The official merchandising of the event, available in the shops of the organising valleys, was created by designer Manuel Bottazzo and produced by Sportful.
The protagonists of the Dolomites Bike Day on 22nd June, on the other hand, are the Campolongo, Falzarego and Valparola Dolomite passes, scenes of epic exploits that have made cycling history. The route runs along the ring that begins in Alta Badia and leads over the Passo Campolongo to Arabba and the Livinallongo Valley. It continues to the Falzarego Pass and then to the Valparola Pass before reaching the villages of La Villa and Corvara to finish the ride. The route, which is closed to traffic from 08:30 to 14:30, is 51km long and has a total elevation gain of 1.370m. The route must be ridden in an anti-clockwise direction.
BIKE GUIDED TOURS: CYCLING IN A GROUP IS MORE FUN
In the summer of 2024, Alta Badia is once again offering guided bike tours in June and July, with five weekly dates. The programme includes a full calendar of guided tours to discover the most fascinating routes up and down the Dolomites: from Monday to Friday, every day there will be an excursion to the most famous places and passes in the Dolomites with expert local guides. These include the classic Sellaronda route, the Passo Fedaia, the Passo Giau or the Passo delle Erbe. The excursions cost € 40.00 and can be booked at the tourist offices in Alta Badia or online at www.altabadia.org
E-BIKE SHARING: ELECTRIC THRILLS AT AN ALTITUDE OF OVER 2,000 METRES
Thanks to E-Bike Sharing, you can pedal with ease and reach the most scenic spots of the area and the three parks in the Area Movimënt at an altitude of 2,000 m. Thanks to electric bikes which provide assisted pedalling, even the most challenging climbs can be tackled effortlessly. Therefore, this outdoor activity is also suitable for those who are less sporty, but still wish to experience the Dolomites on two wheels. The stations where bikes can be dropped off and picked up are located above the Col Alto, Piz La Ila and Piz Sorega cable cars. You can even book e-bikes from one of the sports shops and rental shops in the area. You can even take your e-bike onto some of the cable cars and chair lifts: a fun way to move from one place to another without having to drive.
ALTA BADIA ALL ROAD: EXPERIENCE THE BIKE BEATS MOVIMËNT AND THE SELLARONDA ON YOUR MOUNTAIN BIKE
Alta Badia is also the ideal destination for mountain bike enthusiasts, with its wide dirt roads nestled in rich and diverse vegetation. For cyclists who enjoy endurance, free-riding and touring, there are many options along incredibly beautiful trails of varying degrees of difficulty.
For the most adventurous cyclists who are all about the adrenaline rush, there's the Bike Beats Movimënt, downhill trails dedicated to cyclists. These are smooth flow country trails with containment banks and jumps with varying levels of difficulty. The trails are accessible to mountain bikes or e-bikes, on the Alta Badia plateau at 2000m and can be reached by ski lifts, on which the bikes can be loaded.
Alta Badia is also the perfect starting point to tackle the Sellaronda on your mountain bike. Here, you can take your bike on the cable cars, meaning you can effortlessly reach the mountain peaks and then put yourself to the test down breath-taking descents and single trails dedicated to mountain bikes. The loop can be done clockwise and anti-clockwise; we advise tackling it with an expert mountain-bike guide.
ON GRAVEL BIKES ALONG THE WHITE ROADS OF ALTA BADIA
In recent years, gravel has won over thousands of cyclists, who were quite happy to abandon asphalt surfaces to tackle gravel trails without losing out on the joy of pedalling on a race bike. It goes without saying that Alta Badia has also become a very appealing destination for cyclists wishing to ride through the woods to reach mountain huts and large expanses of prairies at the foot of the Dolomites a UNESCO World Heritage Site, remote from motorised traffic and from the stresses of everyday life. Alta Badia offers countless ‘white roads’, much to the joy of gravel bike riders. These include an itinerary to discover the Ladin farmhouses and the local architecture, which is also accessible to untrained cyclists, or the medium-difficulty tour departing from the small town of La Val, which winds its way along asphalt surfaced and gravel roads. This particular trail is a gem, and it is not well known, at the foot of the two Fanes-Senes-Braies and Puez-Odle Nature Parks. The array of trails is completed by the medium-difficulty trail leading from Badia to the prairies of Armentara, passing under the iconic massif of Santa Croce.
LA PEDALATA: FROM BORMIO TO ALTA BADIA AND BACK, OVER THE PASSES THAT HAVE MADE CYCLING HISTORY
The idea of creating a cycling tour between the two destinations came from two friends, both hotel managers: Klaus Irsara (Hotel Melodia del Bosco, Alta Badia) and Daniele Schena (Hotel Funivia, Bormio).
The La Pedalata is a bike ride from Bormio to Alta Badia and back, crossing passes such as the Stelvio, the Gavia and the Dolomite passes, and crossing landscapes such as the Wine Road or the Alpe di Siusi. The outward journey covers 220 km with a difference in altitude of 5.500 m, while the return journey covers the same distance with a difference in altitude of 4.199 m. The spirit of the initiative is that of bike-packing and both the outward and return journeys include an overnight stay. The bikes will be equipped with comfortable bags, provided by the hotels, to carry the essentials for the roads between the Dolomites and Valtellina.
BIKE FRIENDLY: THE PERFECT CYCLING HOLIDAY
In summer, the tourist offer for cyclists in Alta Badia www.altabadia.org/bike is called 'Bike Friendly' and is for both on-road and mountain-biking cyclists. Tourist information bureaus provide road maps with recommended trails, while local guides provide the opportunity to organise guided excursions every day.
There are many agreements in place with accommodation facilities, bicycle rental shops, spare parts and technical clothing shops, restaurants and specialised shelters to meet the needs of everyone who enjoys practising this sport. The "Bike Expert" and "Bike Friendly" hotels provide everything cyclists need: a space where they can clean and mend their bikes, bicycle storage, a bike tool box, a laundry, a balanced breakfast, and cold dishes or cakes in the afternoon, for an energy boost. Cable cars and chair lifts transport bikes at no additional cost.
CASTELLI AND CICLI PINARELLO, PARTNERS OF EXCELLENCE OF ALTA BADIA
The partnership between Castelli, Alta Badia, and the Maratona dles Dolomites-Enel is a perfect union between three realities that represent the excellence of cycling and the territory in which one of the most challenging and spectacular granfondo races takes place. Castelli is an Italian company founded in 1876, specialising in the production of technical cycling clothing, which stands out for its continuous quest for innovation and quality. The partnership between Castelli, Alta Badia and the Maratona dles Dolomites-Enel is based on shared values such as excellence, passion and care for the territory. Indeed, Castelli is committed to protecting the environment and reducing the environmental impact of its production, while the Maratona dles Dolomites-Enel promotes sustainable management of the event. The new Alta Badia cycling jersey and trousers, designed by the graphic designer Manuel Bottazzo, is also produced by Castelli and will be available in the shops and tourist offices in Alta Badia from the beginning of the summer season. The graphics chosen by the designer, with macro-logos, follow the current trends in the cycling market. The design also evokes the cultural character of the area, with the Ladin flag and phrases written in the native language of Alta Badia's inhabitants.
The partnership between Alta Badia and Cicli Pinarello has also been consolidated. The Treviso-based company continues to be at the side of the resort and the Maratona dles Dolomites-Enel, on the strength of a complete sharing of values and objectives. The excellence of two wheels represented by Cicli Pinarello, combined with the quality of the hospitality of a resort like Alta Badia, are a certainty for cycling enthusiasts worldwide.
