1,637m The total of ascent of the loop
It’s a breathless summer day on the flanks of the Sella–a strikingly serrated massif in the Dolomites of northern Italy–and the twisted grey towers of rock are shifting shape as I cycle around them. A cluster of crenellated peaks morphs into a medieval fortress guarded by imposing turrets. A sheer grey-white limestone wall, fronted by neat vertical fissures, glistens like the pipes of an ornate church organ. And a chain of spiked peaks evokes the armoured spine of a prehistoric monster. On these hot, high-altitude slopes, my imagination is whirling faster than my legs.
I’m here for the early-summer Sellaronda Bike Day–a traffic-free bike challenge that takes place twice a year, in June and September, enabling cyclists to complete a circuit of the world-famous Sella massif without the roar of cars, motorbikes and buses. The ride draws its inspiration from the legendary ski circuit of the same name. On two wheels, the Sellaronda loop is deceptively short, at just 53km, but with 1,637m of ascent, and four iconic high-altitude passes–the 2,121m Passo Gardena, 2,240m Passo Sella, 2,239m Passo Pordoi and 1,875m Passo Campolongo–this course should
