Civetta is a mountain that evokes historic mountaineering feats and famous mountain bike races. Not everyone knows, however, that a wonderful cycle route winds its way through the challenging Passo Duran and Forcella Staulanza, whose climbs have often featured in the Giro d'Italia.
The starting point is in Forno di Zoldo, one of the three villages in the municipality of Valle di Zoldo, the cradle of artisanal ice cream. The route begins with a pleasant climb through villages and hamlets rich in culture and tradition.
Once you reach Zoldo Alto, you leave the ski lifts on your left – which serve the ski slopes in winter, here also floodlit for night skiing – and continue along a thrilling succession of tight, panoramic hairpin bends towards Palafavera, a renowned centre for Nordic skiing and biathlon.
You then climb towards Forcella Staulanza at an altitude of 1,750 metres and, with the imposing Monte Pelmo on your right, you launch yourself down the steep descent leading to Selva di Cadore, a ski resort and home to the Vittorino Cazzetta Museum.
The route continues towards Colle Santa Lucia to the Belvedere terrace, where a stop is a must. From here, the descent begins towards Caprile, Alleghe and Agordo, where the route climbs towards Passo Duran: 12 challenging kilometres of constant gradient covering a vertical ascent of around 1,000 metres.
The descent into Val di Zoldo is treacherous and requires caution as far as Dont, before retracing the pleasant stretch back to Val di Zoldo, which was already covered on the ascent.
