Bolzano is cycling. With this slogan, the bustling city in the province of South Tyrol wants to make a name for itself. In terms of location, you could hardly do better. The Dolomites are literally at your feet and there is so much choice that you almost lose your way in advance. The city is also home to the famous Giro Delle Dolomiti (GDD). Not to be confused with the Maratona Dles Dolomites, which starts from Alta Badia. The Giro Delle Dolomiti is a multi-day stage race, which you can participate in as an amateur cyclist. Indeed, you can also cycle just 1, 2 or 3 separate stages. All with start and finish in Bolzano. Why YOU should cycle the Giro Delle Dolomiti, we explain!
Text and photos: Sander Kolsloot
Vibrant city by the river
Bolzano (or Bozen) is a medium-sized city with just over 100,000 inhabitants. For many Dutch people, the city is known as 'the turn-off towards the Dolomites', 'the first city in Italy on the way to Lake Garda' and more such characterisations. As far as we are concerned, highly unjustified. Because the city has everything to be a perfect basecamp for your cycling holiday. In the morning, you set out on your bike and after your bike ride, you will enjoy everything this city has to offer.
Dolomite marathon
For the cyclists among us, Bolzano is first and foremost the city of the Giro Delle Dolomiti aka the Dolomite Marathon. This stunning event is partly the reason to go cycling in South Tyrol. This stage cyclo consists of six different stages, most of which are ridden 'in gruppetto'. Including motorbike escort, wildly gesticulating Italian race director and well-groomed stops. In between there are timed segments, which ultimately provide a ranking. There is a prize for the day's winner in various classifications and, of course, for the overall winner. You can participate all days or do some individual stages. In terms of organisation, it is certainly not inferior to e.g. a Maratona.
Dolomites
We cycle a nice stage to the Rosengarten today. Some course exploration beforehand tells us that it includes a nice long climb, with a sort of intermediate plateau. You climb to almost 1700m altitude, where you have a magnificent panorama over the surrounding dolomites. The typical pointed mountains are a beautiful backdrop for the lunch stop. Then it's leisurely downhill before another hairpin turn of the Obergummer awaits.
Good-for-you show
At the start, everything is well organised. The Fiera fairgrounds offer enough space for everyone. You can get a cup of coffee and a typical Italian breakfast there in the morning. Besides, you pick up your bib number here, you can leave your bag which can be used again at the various stops (so you don't necessarily have to lug all the jackets and junk on your back). The only odd thing is pinning on a back number. With the handlebar sign and a timer attached to your saddle, that seems a bit unnecessary.
Ready, set, go!
The start, today at 09:00 will be preceded by the brief tribute of day's winners and the introduction of some prominent figures. From then on, we head out of town in a platoon behind the support car, towards Prato Isarco and from there by the long route towards Tiers and on to the summit. It's hot, even this early in the morning. The temperature will soon reach 30 degrees, so drinking well is advisable. The atmosphere is convivial and it's nice not to have to give it your all right away. The motorbike guidance is also nice, it ensures that you don't have to worry about some Italian idiot overtaking on the inside if you're not paying attention. Or that you are almost pushed aside by an overtaking oncoming car.
Long, longer, longest
From Prato Isarco, the chosen climb is 25 kilometres long, with a long flat/ascending intermediate section. Over the whole climb it's at 5.6 % but with one kilometre at 11.7% and long stretches above 10 it's really no walk in the park. The first seven kilometres go very well. I have 'good legs' today and can keep up with the head of the group, 300 strong. Pretty soon you have a view of the valley. Across the valley you can see villages like Collalbo, known for its skating training camps, nicely. The vineyards nestled against the edges of the valley also provide a nice atmospheric view. Even in autumn, with its autumn colours, this looks stunning.
We meander uphill and the further we get from the valley, the views really change. Just mountain and mountain pastures all around us. Beautiful green, good tarmac. It really is a treat to ride here. The ascent is not extremely steep here either, which also helps the cycling enjoyment.
First stop
The climb is 25km long in total, but consists of two parts. The first part is followed by a bit of gradual descent until the first stop. Here there is a water fountain, as in many Italian villages. There is also sports food and biscuits available. Great catering, also with the pieces of fruit available. Everyone recovers from the first bit of climbing. At one point, the race director calls for us to gather again for the second part. This is the tougher part where the timing is also switched on. Important for the rankings men and women. You notice that this does play a role, everyone talks a bit about his/her position. Not important for us, but nice to notice.
Suffering pain, with a big P.
Sitting behind the course director again, we roll together to the start of the timing. As the car pulls away and everyone is allowed to 'cut loose', I suddenly notice why this part was chosen for the race section. What. One. Hell. If you have just stopped for 15 minutes and then you have to immediately start 12% to outliers of 16-17%, you are literally in the 'Parcheggio' as Renaat Schotte can so eloquently put it. It's not pretty to see, I rake uphill and get overtaken left and right by fit old men. Painful.
Towards the summit, it gets a bit less steep and I can look around me again. At almost 1,800 metres, it is a beautiful sight. The typical Dolomite views make you forget the pain for a moment. At the finish of this stretch, we are loudly encouraged and then it's a short stretch on to the second stop. A spacious plain where there are several tents with, among other things, apfelstrudel (winner!) and plenty of food and drinks for everyone. As it is very hot this day, everyone looks for shade anyway. Bus shelters and a couple of EZ-up tents provide relief.
Gummer
After a stop of about 30 minutes, the signal to assemble sounds again. The race director hangs out of the car window while calling. Typically Italian, that does something for the atmosphere. After a controlled descent, where there are still idiots doing a supertuck, in a group, we turn at a roundabout towards the 'sprint'. A shorter timed stretch on the ascent of the Gummer. A nice winding road from Cardano. It's a great spot for photos. I leave the sprint part to others for a while. I notice that I am digesting the effort a bit harder. I ride uphill in a controlled manner and at the turn-off towards Obergummer we turn just left towards the planetarium. Then it undulates a bit before we are regrouped in Cornedo.
Finish
After a nice long day on the bike, we roll back into Bolzano under escort between 2pm and 3pm. At the finish, a run develops on the meal, which consists of beef with speckknödel. A local savoury speciality that combined with salad provides much-needed calories. Everyone sits down on benches and chats about the day that has been. A nice ending like this.
Route of our stage
Impressed
I am impressed with this event. Everything seems super well organised. Even during the ride, there are several bikes and support vehicles with water, mechanical and medical assistance. Nobody is left to their own devices and the control and guidance really allows you to cycle freely. Personally, I would like to descend a bit less controlled, but given the cycling skills of many others, I think control is better :).
Practical
If you go cycling in South Tyrol, you have several options. Bolzano is easy to reach by car, plane and train. You can take the Nightjet go to Bolzano. If you board the train at Utrecht central station at 8pm in the evening, you'll be in the middle of Bolzano by 11:30 the next morning. You can even take your bike with you! By car, it's a full day's drive, again via Innsbruck and the Brenner Pass. If you want to fly, the best option is to fly into Verona and take the train from there. That takes about 2 hours.
Staying in the city
Bolzano has many hotels and flats. You can also find plenty of beautiful places in the surrounding area. In the Hotel Scala Stiegl, with swimming pool, storage space for bikes and a good breakfast, you are out of the city in no time and drive towards the Dolomites. The hotel has its own bike cellar, rinse-off area and also routes. So cycling in South Tyrol is very nice. The city itself also has plenty of entertainment to offer. Of course, Bolzano is the city of Ötzi, the ice man discovered in the mountains and exhibited in the archaeological museum. A fantastic exhibition to visit. Finished with Otzi? Have an aperitif in Piazza Walther, the draw for locals, dine at one of the many fine restaurants, such as Löwengruben, Hotel Citta, Il Corso or at Italia & Amore for a real pasta experience.
Wine estate in the city
You can't ignore wine culture in Bolzano. We get to visit Schmid Oberrautner. A gorgeous wine estate with flats, right in the middle of town. There are still some lovely 'Lagrein' grapes growing on the branches, alongside 'St Magdalener' the town's grape. It is quite unusual for a city to have not one, but even two grape varieties. Many examples are really linked to a region or a city. Soave, Valpolicella, Chianti.
