Sella Ronde - the quintessential Dolomites experience on a bike

The numbers aren't that impressive - 52km and 1500m of ascent, what that doesn't reflect is the sheer immensity of the limestone and the grandeur of the landscape.

SuperModel drives us to Arabba (ball) and we assemble bikes but before riding first we have espresso. I am not keen about today, my achilles tendon is not happy, I have been smothering diclofenac cream into it post ride each day.

The Sella Massif on approach. Butterflies

Bit nervous. Everyone has a toilet stop.

Click in and roll and straight into climbing at 6-8% for ten kays. Some pinches at 10% but meh. Passo Pordoi beckons in the gorgeous light of high mountains, on another gorgeous day.
The mountains dominate on both sides of the road, as we snake our way up the 600m

Nearly to the top of Passo Pordoi looking back to Arabba

Cable car goes from 2200m to 2950m for walkers to explore

We all ride our own tempo and roll into town as and when we see fit. The tiredness is affecting us all. Of course we stop, look at the food options and decide to roll but of course as soon as we go 100m a new vista opens up (Passo) and we immediately stop again and get the cameras out.

One Passo done, three to go

immense

And we don jackets and roll down hill through sweeping corners, mindful of traffic and potholes and just how quickly you can build speed down these slopes. Get into traffic and then traffic starts waving at us to slow down and another corner and an ambulancia and a bent motorbike - looks like a single vehicle collision, but we roll through surprised this is the first incidence of a biker down. I didnt rubber neck.

We remove the raincoats which are worn to prevent chill from the sweat from the ascent. Click in and roll.

The scenery is immense, honestly I do not have the vocabulary for the cliff walls we are riding under. I have never experienced anything like this in my life and being on a bike with my mates and using our own heart and lungs and legs to get around (ignore the car transport) is simply amazing.  I am extremely thankful and privileged to be able to do this, and I want to do more. Yes tired but I am always riding within my strengths and know that the days for return are nearing.

happy loon

Passo Sella arrives.  I transferred the polystyrene plastic shell on my head to the handlebars and don a cycling cap. Feels good. Stand pedal, sit pedal change gear, drink, stand pedal and GAWP at where I am. GAWP. Like a happy loon.

beast

The Sella descent is quick but there are many cars and we spend most of the time riding the brakes.

Soon we are at the bottom of the descent and about to climb again, everyone says its not a big one, just 400m or so and our stomachs are grumbling. Kransky Polenta is riding within himself, but the manflu is dragging him back. I see him scoff a banana, and we clip in and go uphill for the third time today.

I try to push a bit on the first few switchbacks but the  I turn a corner and my tiny brain shuts down by the scene. Sheer cliff to the right, sweeping valley rising to another range to the left. I stop pedalling.

I am rubber necking and trying to take everything but I simply cannot. No camera can capture this day, this warmth, this scene. Its verdant and threatening simultaneously and all the emotions of the short spring and summer in the high mountains are at ELEVEN.

!!!

OGF, BB and SM roll past me. My legs won't work with the grandeur of the landscape.

I want to make this last as long as possible.

Eventually the downhill runs out and I have to pedal again. But where is Kransky Polenta? I ride very carefully up the hill and enjoy the view. I get to a hairpin and gaze down the valley and see KP rolling along; a mechanical? A flat?

Get to the Passo Gardena and the hotel and we are all hungry. OGF has claimed a table with an amusing view

Where the hell am I looking? Lederhosen?

Penne Arrabiata, and a beer and the boys grab soup and pasta and cokes and soak in the view. KP had a problem with his front derailleur dropping the chain, but he is also not feeling the best. So we are going to keep a watch out for him.

We have two more descents and one more climb, the Passo Campolongo. But then some few million dollars worth of cars arrive.

I ride a bit and then hear the engines fire up from up the pass and stop.

Then swoop down some gorgeous tarmac into Corvara.  OGF and myself keep a watch on KP as we climb up the ultimate hill. He has turned himself inside out today to get out and ride. We pedal up quiet roads until Campolongo, but as we climb I take a last view back to Corvara.

The final descent into Arraba is amazing. And so is the strudel I eat. OGF orders his new favourite drink, a mojito.

Pile into the van and back into Cortina, SM drives and it takes an hour, and starts to rain persistently.  We are fed up of driving and the evening meal conversation turns to tomorrow and which insane hillclimb we will refuse to do.

Driving back to Cortina, I get the crucial text, my amoure is in the country in Venice.

Not doing the climb the Tre Cime, not driving two hours to climb Zoncolan.

My dinner was superb and everyone else was very sated.

At the Passo Pordoi I try on a hat. Didn't buy it. I regret that now.

Ciao amici!