Reach your peak with big mountain days in the Dolomites
Alta Badia’s mix of confidence-building terrain, epic events, big-day-out singletrack and E-Mountain bikes will make any level of rider feel like a champ.
The Alta Badia region may be famed in road riding legend but the same region that holds some of the most famous climbs of the Giro d’Italia has over 80km of alpine single track ripe for the picking. The Sellaronda routes, an off-road version of the vintage road circuit, to be ridden both clockwise and anti clockwise, offer steady climbs, rolling ribbons of high alpine trail and 10km long descents. It’s an undiscovered world of stunning single track awaiting those looking for a new destination away from the busy French alps.
All day epics and Freeride fun are available under the towering limestone peaks of the Dolomites. The Sellaronda epic, a 59.2km ride that takes in high alpine single track and, thanks to the chairlifts, offers up over 3000m of descent with only 681m of climbing. For the adrenaline inclined there is a more aggressive downhill trail, accessed from the Gardenaccia lift, that drops from 1750m down to the town of La Villa, while Family friendly E-mountain bike tours mean mixed ability groups can explore together. Alta Badia is a classically Italian family friendly mountain bike resort with something for every level of rider.
The Sellaronda MTB Tour
The Sellaronda is the mountain bike brother of the classic road circuit which covers four famous mountain passes while the dramatic bulk of the Piz Boe looms above the road. The Sellaronda mountain bike tour can be ridden both clockwise and counter clockwise, offering a totally different experience either way you ride it. Making use of the lift system in the area, the 59.2km clockwise route has 3297m of descent and, thanks to the lifts, only 681m of climbing! Anti-clockwise has a lot more climbing, 1689m to be precise, but for those up for the challenge it’s very worth it. Both include stunning alpine views, thrilling riding and smiles at no extra cost. The lifts are operational from 20th June to the 20th September. The Dolomiti Supersummer Card gives mountain bikers access to the lift system and guided tours are available with www.dolomitebiking.com
Sellaronda Hero Race MTB
The 5th edition of the Sellaronda Hero will take place on 27th June. It’s a race for heroes only in that it has been described as the toughest mountain bike race in the Alps. Competitors can choose one of two routes: 60km or 87km long. A part of the race crosses Alta Badia, from the Passo Gardena up to the Pralongià plateau and then down to Passo Campolongo. The UCI Mountain Bike Marathon World Championship will take place on the same date on the same route. This gives avid mountain bikers the chance to see where they stack up against the pros on this marathon mountain race.
Gravity Gear
If climbing isn’t your thing and you prefer to point down the fall line and let gravity do the work then the two Freeride trails on Gardenaccia are ready for those with a thirst for downhill. The two trails begin at the top of the Gardenaccia chairlift, that rises from La Villa to 1750m. An easier and more difficult trail option gives entry level mountain a chance to taste the adrenalin while more experienced riders can polish their skills and push to go faster with every lap.
E-Bike Sharing
An E-bike sharing concept in the mountains has been launched by Alta Badia working in a similar way to ‘Boris Bikes’ in London. There are two drop off points in the valleys in Corvara, La Villa and three on the peaks, at the Col Alt, Piz la Ila and Piz Sorega which also act as recharging points. The rental mountain bikes are a collection of the freshest E-bikes on the market including the newest E-mountain bikes from Trek. Suitable for over 14s the prices start from 21€/33€ for adults and 15€/24€ for children based on half day/full day rentals. This is a great way to experience the mountains and mountain biking without all that aerobic effort.
Visit: www.altabadia.org for more information
