The Dolomites: Italy’s thrilling terrain for cyclists

Before the winter snow arrives, the Dolomites offer heavenly descents for cyclists to explore, as Ross Lydall discovered
Spin cycle: exploring the mountains on two wheels
Randy Jay Braun
Ross Lydall @RossLydall16 October 2015

Cycling in France? Lovely. Vietnam and Cambodia? An adventure. But for the most staggering rides I’ve ever experienced, the Dolomites take some beating.

“The Dolomites are the nicest mountains in the world,” explained alpine guide Diego Zanesco, who has been riding them since the age of five. “I am here every day but every day is nicer. I love the mountains.”

Setting off from the postcard-pretty village of San Cassiano, in Italy’s north-easterly Alta Badia region, we climbed 500m on gravel tracks. Not for us the pain-free option of the Piz Sorega cable car. We would rely on mountain bikes – and not the battery-assisted “e-bikes” that are becoming an increasingly common sight on the mountains. It was a tough climb but the views of the freshly snow-capped Marmolada — “the Queen of the Dolomites” — rewarded our endeavour.

Restaurants are dotted across the rolling plateau, linked by well-signed paths. At Rifugio Bioch Hutte, walkers were drinking in the view and Aperol spritzes in the autumn sunshine as they took in the peaceful vista. For half the year the region is whitewashed with snow, but the lush green meadows of late summer were a revelation to me. Unesco declared the Dolomites a World Heritage site in 2009 and I couldn’t help wondering what took them so long.


After coffee and cake, we decided to push on. Descents to San Cassiano or the small towns of Corvara and La Villa are not for novices and require nerve. My hands ached, so fiercely was I pulling on the brakes. Skidding nervously in the loose gravel, I walked the bike to flatter terrain to make it back to base. For hard-core mountain bikers, though, the challenge was clearly a dream. Equipped with full-face helmets, body armour and full-suspension bikes, they tackled the descents with fearless glee.

After recuperating amid the splendour of the Rosa Alpina hotel, we turned to road bikes for the next day’s excursion: a 50km ride via Cortina and Arabba and over two mountain passes. Zanesco works closely with Rosa Alpina and will happily guide cyclists, walkers and climbers, whatever challenge they fancy. The promise of a Pinarello – the “Ferrari of road bikes” – failed to materialise but I was delighted to be given a Specialized road bike that is a carbon copy — pun intended — of my steed at home.

Home comforts: a room at the Rosa Alpina hotel

Three hours later, I was once again aching but elated. This part of the Dolomites features most years in the Giro d’Italia bike race; beyond each curve in my hour-long ascent lay a perfect panorama. It was as glorious a ride as I could recall: a perfect day on a bike. Even what little traffic there was kept a respectful distance, though it had little chance of catching us on the breathless descents.

Cyclists are increasingly being drawn to this crumpled corner of Italy. Mini-pelotons were not an uncommon sight, and not just those populated by “mamils”, there were plenty of female riders too. Testament to the sport’s growing popularity, roads are closed for a day in June for an amateur cycling festival. More than 30,000 applications were received this year for 9,000 places.

Refuelling the Dolomites

Winter remains both the hotel’s and the region’s peak season, such is the lure of the mountains to skiers. That said, Hugo Pizzinini, who runs Rosa Alpina with his father Paolo, sees cycling as a growth market, linked to the enthusiasm for wellness breaks. He is a keen cyclist and will ride with guests if his schedule allows.

The only drawback to holiday cycling in the Dolomites is its limitation as a family activity: e-bikes may assist inexperienced riders but the climbs and descents are no place for children. A request for a baby seat for the back of my bike could not be met, leaving my wife and daughter to explore San Cassiano on foot. It was perhaps a blessing: attempting even a modest ascent with a chubby 15-month-old on the back would have required Chris Hoy-esque thighs.

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Otherwise, the hotel could not have been more family-friendly — a deliberate policy on the part of its owners. Rosa Alpina has been owned and run by the Pizzinini family since 1940, and the latest generation can occasionally be spotted playing in the foyer. “My grandfather started it, my father took over, I’m taking over now,” Hugo said. “I hope my children will one day run it.”

Despite the hotel’s luxury status and two-Michelin star restaurant, the area remains something of a secret. As such, returning guests are crucial, Hugo said. “We prefer to have guests [return] for many years than cashing in on one time. That is our way of doing business. It has to be family-style.”

Away from the bike, we filled our time shopping in San Cassiano’s chic boutiques — expect to find mountain gear more stylish than you would ever see on Kensington High Street or in Covent Garden — and walking in the mountains. Here the cable car came into its own, providing an effortless and enjoyable way to the summit in a matter of minutes. Lovely as the hotel was, each moment not spent admiring the views was time wasted.

Nowhere better were the views than at Rosa Alpina’s mountain lodge, which can be booked for private al fresco lunches and parties. After prosecco and salami, chef Federico and waiter Angelo served us a delicious fish and mixed-grill barbecue, followed by kaiser smarren, a hot Tyrolean dessert best described as a gourmet version of bread-and-butter pudding. Legendary just about sums up the lunch, and indeed the entire experience.

Details: Dolomites

easyJet (0843 104 5000; easyjet.com) flies from Gatwick to Innsbruck with single fares starting at £24 per person.

Rosa Alpina Hotel & Spa (rosalpina.it) has rooms available from €385 per night including breakfast. Children up to one year stay free of charge.

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