Contact: daniele.gonano@velo-solaire.com
After enjoying several years of beautiful solar bike tours in this region of northern Italy, I would like to share these experiences by organizing a “solar bike” course with base camp in the north of Italy. ‘Italy near the Dolomites.
Location
The village, in northeastern Italy, is Osais- Prato Carnico, about 200 km north of Venice (https://maps.app.goo.gl/HJ3sMZCipCqwKZCx5). It is approximately 750m above sea level, located in the valley called “Val Pesarina”. This valley is oriented East-West, the road climbs to the next pass called ”Sella di Razzo” at 1750m altitude. The altitude gain is therefore exactly 1000m.
This is the preferred way to access all the routes around the Dolomites. This road is very well known to motorcyclists but also to cyclists: it is an ideal starting point for most of our solar bike excursions.
Our family home in Italy is a great place to stay. There is room for 8 people inside, with the possibility of also having a tent in the garden for two people.
All solar bikes can be left in the garage or in the garden (closed at night).
Period
People participants can come whenever they want, from the beginning of July to mid-August, within the limit of 8 places available.
This is the best time to use our solar bikes!
Organized tours
My idea is to offer a few tours but all participants are free to decide if they want to plan their routes and duration independently. Below I want to give examples (there are many more!) of tricks that I have been doing for several years. These are grouped by distance/day:
- 1) day trip, more or less 100 km
- 2) one day tour, total distance less than 200 km
- 3) circuit of 3 days (or more), total distance greater than 200 km
Unfortunately we will not be able to go to Austria via the ”Monte Croce carnico” pass (30 km from us) because last winter the road was seriously damaged and it will not be reopened this year. So to go to Austria you will have to choose other routes a little further away.
1 day tours
Circuit No. 1: Prato Carnico > Casera Razzo > Sauris > Passo Pura > Villa Santina and return: 80km, 2000m elevation gain
Map: https:// www.strava.com/activities/9874820953
Circuit No. 2: Prato Carnico > Casera Razzo > Sauris > Passo Pura > Ampezzo > Villa Santina and return: 82km, 2100m elevation gain
This is an alternative to tour n°1 with a climb to the ”Passo Pura” pass. It’s a little longer but it allows you to avoid all the tunnels (poorly lit and a very poor surface…) on the descent after Lago di Sauris.
Map: https://www.strava.com/activities/9874820953< /a>
Circuit No. 3: Prato Carnico > Casera Razzo > Lorenzago > Passo Mauria > Ampezzo > Villa Santina and return: 110km, 2300m elevation gain
This route crosses 4 different valleys: the road which leads to the ”Passo Mauria” pass has a magnificent route with an excellent quality surface!
Map: https://www.strava.com/activities/9874880179
2-day tour No. 1
This tour goes to Conegliano where we had an unforgettable stopover during the SunTrip Alps 2022!
1st day : Prato Carnico > Casera Razzo > Pieve di Cadore > Vittorio Veneto > San Michele di Feletto (Cà Milone): 133km, 1900m elevation gain
Map: https://www.strava.com/activities/5932093410
2nd day : Cà Milone > Conegliano > San Daniele del Friuli > Osais: 142km, 1500m elevation gain
Map: https://www.strava .com/activities/2679738274
2-day tour No. 2
This tour is a great opportunity to go directly from the Alps to the Adriatic mother!
There is also a beautiful portion which goes via the cycle path of the European ”Alpe Adria” bike route (from Salzburg to Grado).
1st day : Osais > Tolmezzo > Gemona > Udine > Palmanova > Grado: 121km, 370m elevation gain
Map: https://www.strava .com/activities/9601628953
2nd day : Grado > Palmanova > Udine > Gemona > Tolmezzo > Prato Carnico: 124km, 1100m elevation gain
2-day tour No. 3
This tour is a magnificent excursion to start enjoying the DOLOMITES!
1st day : Casera Razzo > Pieve di Cadore > Cortina: 90km, 1500m elevation gain
2nd day : Cortina > Cimebianche > Lago di Misurina > Auronzo > Sappada > Osais: 94km, 1500m elevation gain
3-day tour No. 1
This tour allows you to enter the heart of the Dolomites, and through a superb valley in Austria, you can return to Italy on the famous “Alpe Adria” cycle path!
1st day: Casera Razzo > Pieve di Cadore > Cortina > Falzarego > Gardena > Sella > Pordoi > Arabba: 158km, 4000m elevation gain
Map: https://www.strava .com/activities/9874882242
2ème jour : Arabba > Passo Campolongo > Falzarego > Cortina > Cimebianche Dobbiaco > Lienz > Oberdrauburg >
Mauthen : 156 km, 1800m dénivelé positif
Carte : https://www.strava.com/activities/9875100560
https://www.strava.com/activities/9875121132
Alternative for the 2nd day: Lienz > Grossglockner > Lienz: 100km, 1800m elevation gain
This option was offered during the SunTrip des Alpes 2022. This is one of the most beautiful Alpine roads: it is a paid road for motor vehicles, very busy, but it’s free for bikes!
Map: https://www. strava.com/activities/7585517817
3rd day: Mauthen > Tarvisio > Prato Carnico-Osais: 159km, 1300m elevation gain
Map: https:// www.strava.com/activities/7585517497
Contact: daniele.gonano@velo-solaire.com