Sellaronda Bike Day

June 11, 2022

The Sellaronda circuit was always part of this trip and I had booked us in Corvara for 3 nights to give us two chances to do it. Then, at the end of March, I got a message from Manfred (manager? owner?) of B&B La Tranquillité telling me that our arrival day was Sellaronda Bike Day and the roads to reach our accommodation would be closed until 16:00.

I’d heard of Sellaronda Bike Day but it had, of course, been cancelled in 2020 and we were unable to get here in 2021. I hadn’t thought it would work into our plans but it seemed that it could! So I cut out one of our days in Bormio, arranged to arrive in Corvara a day earlier and spend 4 nights, and adjusted our stays in between.

It worked out really well. We rode over Passo dello Stelvio in perfect weather for it; had we been on our original schedule we would have been riding in the rain. And we got to participate in Sellaronda Bike Day! We and more than 20,000 other cyclists, according to Manfred.

On Sellaronda Bike Day, all four passes around the Sella Group (Gardena, Sella, Pordoi, and Campolongo) and the roads leading to them are closed to motor vehicles from 08:30 to 15:30. No registration is required; you just show up with your bike and ride. You can start anywhere around the circuit and you are expected to ride it counterclockwise. I suppose you need not ride the whole thing, but you’d need to wait a while if you were hoping for a lift back to your starting point. The circuit is about 50 km and my Garmin recorded 1620 m of climbing. (Al’s recorded 1646 m but his is always higher than mine.) I’d estimate about 30% of cyclists were on e-bikes, most noticeably e-MTBs. I suspect there were some keen, strong riders going around twice too.

I have never participated in anything with so many cyclists! It was scary at times because there were so many cyclists at different speeds but, because you could start anywhere on the circuit, they were spread out over the 50 km. Clusters occurred, of course, at the bottom and top of each climb. Al tells me that the Maratona dles Dolomites was much worse because everyone started from the same place at more or less the same time.

We rode separately today. It was a good opportunity for Al to ride at his own pace and not wait for me. Besides, we would have had difficulty finding each other in the crowds. He did shoot this video clip, though, that gives the flavour of the event:

Looking up towards Passo Gardena. See the cyclists on the road?

At Passo Gardena. I didn’t try to get my usual photo with the sign because I have one from yesterday.

Descending into Val Gardena (but we'll turn left to go up again soon enough).

Every so often, you have to stop and just look! Near the top of Passo Sella.

No sooner does the descent end than the next climb starts, here to Passo Pordoi. Electronic shifting was really nice to have as I listened to so many others crunching through their gears.

Three done! I stopped here for apple strudel since I didn’t think I’d manage the last climb very well without eating something. It was excellent!

Gotta stop and look! Descending Passo Pordoi.

And the last one! All downhill from here!

Looking across one of the mtb trails to Corvara, my start and finish point.

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Margie AndersonWow, exceptional example of a group ride!!
M.
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2 years ago

Today's ride: 51 km (32 miles)
Total: 1,871 km (1,162 miles)

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Susan CarpenterWell done! Looks like great fun - both because of and in spite of all the other riders.
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2 years ago

Jacquie GaudetTo Susan CarpenterIt was an experience!
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2 years ago

Scott AndersonWow! Dream come true.
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2 years ago

Suzanne GibsonSo glad you got to do that! Wonderful to participate vicariously through you!
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2 years ago

Lyle McLeodWow, what a perfect looking day. Super adventure and such a unique experience (looks like a lot more spontaneous fun than a Gran Fondo)
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2 years ago

Jacquie GaudetTo Lyle McLeodAnd a lot less expensive! These events (June and September) are free. Plus it seems there is at least one other, the Dolomites Bike Day, on a different route, later in June.
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2 years ago

David MathersWhat a fantastic looking day. We may have to build in an event like this on one of our future tours. The photos are fabulous along with your hiking day pics. I'm sure this will be an event you will never forget!
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2 years ago

Rachael AndersonWow, what a great ride and to do it without cars! Great job on the climbs. Great photos and I love the video.
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2 years ago

Margie AndersonSo pleased for you. Thanks for sharing all your great photos! As someone else said here, living vicariously through you!!
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2 years ago