Alta Badia Promotes Cycling Paradise
In recent years, Alta Badia has become the reference point for the discerning cyclist, thanks to the wide range of activities and initiatives related to this sport. In August 2022, Alta Badia obtained the GSTC (Global Sustainable Tourism Council) certification, an internationally recognised reference standard for sustainable tourism. The bicycle, in all its forms, is the ideal means of experiencing tourism in an environmentally sustainable manner, and events such as the Maratona dles Dolomites-Enel and the Bike Days are therefore intended to be a symbol and an important signal in this direction. This is why, in Alta Badia, cycling is on a par with walking: the clean air, wonderful landscapes and spectacular peaks are the stimulus to approach nature with joy and respect. In these mountains, sustainability is a concrete concept, which can be experienced day after day.
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.
The Queen Stage of the Giro d'Italia 2023 will cross Alta Badia. Starting from Longarone in the province of Belluno, it will climb the Campolongo Pass and pass through Corvara, La Villa and San Cassiano, before proceeding towards the Valparola and Falzarego Passes, in the direction of the Tre Cime di Lavaredo, the finish, after 183 km, of the stage on 26 May.
MARATONA DLES DOLOMITES-ENEL: SUNDAY 2 JULY, HUMANITY AND A QUESTION AS A LOGO
The Maratona dles Dolomites-Enel is an event that attracts cyclists from all over the world and can be considered the queen among Europe's granfondo races. As usual, there is a theme that accompanies and characterises it. This year the theme will be Humanity. The logo of the 36th edition is a bar code that reads Umanité (Humanity in Ladin), because the risk is that we will really be reduced to this. Coded, classified, monitored. Are we now a code or will we become human again? A question that is more urgent than ever and addressed especially to those born and raised before the technological invasion dictated the rhythms of our existence. The event again this year brings together 8.000 cyclists and has over 27.000 applications from all continents.
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 194 higher-priced registrations whose proceeds will go to charity, by visiting the website: www.maratona.it<http://www.maratona.it> on 22nd March 2023.
SELLARONDA BIKE DAY AND DOLOMITES BIKE DAY: TWO EVENTS COMBINING BEAUTY AND SUSTAINABILITY
For those who cannot take part in the coveted Maratona dles Dolomites-Enel, the month of June is full of events that are now part of the cycling calendar of every cyclist.
On 10 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 on Saturday 16 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.www.sellarondabikeday.com
The protagonists of the Dolomites Bike Day on 24 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 route. 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. www.dolomitesbikeday.it
The greatest common denominator of these events, which have burnt themselves into the hearts of all cycling enthusiasts, is that the Dolomite passes are closed to traffic on these occasions. A decision that shows how much Alta Badia cares about sustainability. These are non-competitive cycling events that are open to everyone without the need for registration. The respective routes follow the route of the Maratona dles Dolomites-Enel and other legendary routes that are closed to motorised traffic.
JUNE AND JULY WITH BIKE GUIDED TOURS: WHEN PEDALLING IS ON THE CARDS
Those long summer days are the perfect opportunity for cycling enthusiasts to go on a bike tour to create unforgettable memories. For this reason, throughout the months of June and July, Alta Badia offers its Bike Guided Tours with five weekly appointments. The schedule envisages a calendar packed with guided tours to discover the most bewitching trails up and down the Dolomites: from Monday to Friday, there is a daily trip that takes cyclists to the most iconic places and passes in the Dolomites, accompanied by expert local guides. Iconic destinations include the classic Sellaronda trail, the Fedaia Pass, the Giau Pass or the Passo delle Erbe. Excursions cost € 35 and can be booked at the tourist offices in Alta Badia.
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, at Piz Sorega, at Pralongiá and in the La Fraina area. The latter, which is blue/easy, is 2,000 m long and has a difference in altitude of 193m. Thanks to the opening of the La Fraina and Bamby chairlifts, Piz Sorega and Piz La Villa can be easily connected. Bikes and prams can be loaded on both chairlifts. This is a way to incentivise sustainable mobility through ski lifts and cable cars so people can easily access the villages of La Villa and San Cassiano without having to drive there.
The Movimënt Bike Beats at Piz Sorega will once again host the Rookies Cup, scheduled for 26 and 27 August. Around 200 young people from all over the world will take part in the international event.
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.
BIKE FRIENDLY: THE PERFECT CYCLING HOLIDAY
In summer, the tourist offer for cyclists in Alta Badia www.altabadia.org 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. In August 2022, Alta Badia was awarded the GSTC (Global Sustainable Tourism Council) certification, an international certification related to sustainable tourism.
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.
