Who doesn’t dream of silky smooth high altitude passes, epic views, delicious food and the sensation of pushing your limits? In Alta Badia, the home of the legendary Maratona Dles Dolomites, there’s definitely no shortage of all of the above. However, there is also a major problem – although fortunately there’s also a solution.
Why has literally the whole city descended on the outdoor swimming pool today? What are all these people doing here? Take a moment to reflect – how many times have you whined and moaned about ‘everyone else’ doing exactly what it was that you were wanted to do at the moment?
Usually there’s a simple explanation for the phenomenon of why a lot of people appear to be struck by the same good idea at once. The reason why outdoor pools are crowded and ice cream parlours have a ridiculous queue when it’s hot. Why motorways are busy when the holidays first get going. When it comes to Italy’s Alta Badia and the Dolomites, the common thread is usually: “Let’s go to the Dolomites and go over the passes!” The annoyance isn’t just that so many other cyclists catch the bug, but also the motorbikes and cars that want to do the same thing. Riding any pass in the Alps on any weekend in the summer propels you into a battle of attrition. You’re on your bike looking for a release from life, but you’re met with stress. Between the hooting horns and risky overtakes, there’s very little respite to make the most of the opportunity.
Martin Luther King wasn’t the only person to state: “I have a dream”. The president of the Maratona Dles Dolomites, Michil Costa also happens to be a free spirit, albeit with a slightly different-looking dream. He owns the La Perla hotel on the way up the Campolongo pass, and his dream looks like a car-free ribbon of tarmac up his road. The incessant sound of the motorbikes reverberating around the mountains isn’t just acoustically damaging for the locals, it’s also harming the environment and the wildlife. As a tourist I’m forced to ask myself: How is it even legal for so many exhaust fumes to be spewed in this UNESCO World Heritage Site? For anyone that takes the state of the world seriously, it is clearly not acceptable. But as with any progress, it takes patience and a persistent fighting spirit – changing the world is a marathon, not a sprint.
In 2017 a solution was reached: the passes would be closed to cars every Wednesday, leaving them only accessible to cyclists and electric cars. There was uproar from tourists and local restaurateurs, proclaiming that they’d be losing income. And with mountain passes often falling under the jurisdiction of several authorities – depending on the geography of the roads – this complicates matters even further. Needless to say, those car-free wednesdays didn’t last long.
“We have to know what we want. We have the choice and we have to pursue it,” sounds like a radical statement from Michil Costa, but it’s completely understandable. It’s the voice of a hotelier looking for sustainable growth. While he is well aware of the pitfalls of excessive tourism, he also knows that outright bans don’t go down well in politics and that what is needed is a more respectful rule-making approach and willingness to compromise – from all parties.
That’s why this year’s Maratona is being held in the name of balance. ‘Ecuiliber’ is the official motto, which translates into ‘balance’ from the local language of Ladin. Held every year with more than 30,000 riders registering for one of the 9,000 starting numbers, the Maratona is held on closed roads, where you’ll either marvel at the a jaw-dropping backdrop of impressive natural architecture or crumble at the punishment of the Mur di Giat. For those who are unsuccessful in the ballot for the event, there are two car-free options throughout the rest of the year to enjoy those same passes – goody bag and finishers’ medal absent.
The Sellaronda Bike Day enjoys a global reputation, with 20,000 riders descending (or rather ascending) on the roads on a particular day each June. Last year it was joined on the calendar by the Dolomites Bike Day, where we found ourselves this year, careening over the Passo Campolongo, Falzarego and Valparola – satisfyingly void of cars. Having ridden the Sellarunde on the previous day in a staccato rhythm dictated by campers and hordes of motorbikes, the Dolomites Bike Day was bliss. The atmosphere was leisurely, with everyone’s performance mindset switched firmly to recreation. However, with riders free to pick which direction they rode the passes, there was some risk involved with speedy oncoming descenders. The welcome sight of families, kids and some riders on e-bikes proved that riding goes far beyond competing, and that accessibility was high on the agenda.
We heard from locals that the Dolomites Bike Day is on a much smaller scale than the popular Sellaronda Bika Day, which means the atmosphere is even more relaxed.
Before you panic about the impassability of these passes at other times in the summer, it’s worth looking beyond the weekends. Ask any local and they’d advise riding them on mid-week daytimes or in the evening. Quiet roads and #lightbro included!
If you’re really limited to the jam-packed weekend then you’d be wise to consider a gravel ride. Hotelier Klaus Irsara considers himself a bit of a gravel pioneer for the Alta Badia region and he’s already logged a ton of routes that are just waiting for you to explore them. Bigger than just the motto of this year’s Maratona, achieving ‘Ecuiliber’ in your own holiday is always a question of the right ingredients, the right quantities and the right timing.
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Words & Photos: Robin Schmitt
