Stelvio Pass

BORMIO, ITALY

I will claim ignorance. As a cycling fan, I am embarrassed. Or I should be embarrassed. I knew nothing about the Stelvio.

Caitlin Steele, Sonja Schmidt

It was just a few weeks ago during the Giro d’Italia that the Stelvio pass made cycling news for days. The weather was so bad that the Giro either did or did not tell the teams that the descent would be neutralized for safety. The leaders flew down it, everyone else went reasonably and lost chunks of time.

 

Today, we would climb the famed passo Stelvio. And I knew nothing about it.

James Shanahan

We left the hotel in Moena by shuttle and drove a couple of hours to Prato. Once there, we offloaded at a hotel by an intersection of the roads. Sure hope Trek Travel had permission because we took over all the rest rooms for changing.

Hotel near Prato where we changed clothes

We rolled at out an intersection and I went first this time. I had no intention of being first up the climb and within one hundred meters I pulled over as my spokes were hitting the speed sensor on the fork. Everyone rolled by me as I readjusted the sensor and then rode tempo to catch the back of the group, but only after also adjusting the bike pump which was being hit by the crank.

The first four kilometers were pretty flat or trending up at one or two percent. Once at the base of the pass the road turned up in a beautiful forest with no idea why lies ahead. It was warm and I was sweating pretty heavily.

Hotel on the lower slopes of Stelvio

Having been last I caught and rode with Caitlin Steele and Colin Giffney. I have ridden with them quite a bit this week. We chatted without hardly noticing the steepness of the road in the forest. When we went by the Trek Travel guides they were astounded that we were just chatting away. We were supposed to be out of breath.

L-R: Caitlin Steel, Collin Giffney, Barry Sherry

Colin and Caitlyn stopped at a planned water/rest stop and I rode ahead, passing Bud Hoffacker and Anne Marie Redmond and then caught Chris and Jim Ashton. I’ve ridden with Chris and Jim quite a bit this week as well.

Near the top of the forest one sees the first sign – Tornanti 48. That is turn or switchback number 48. Only 47 to go. It would be another kilometer before the next turn.

 

Eventually we left the forest and could see nothing but road and hairpin curves ahead. I tried not to look for the summit but could not help it. It was so beautiful.

Jim and I started using the switchback numbers to talk about what we were doing and where we were living at that age. It made the time go by real fast. We were joined for a while by James Shanahan, our Trek Travel guide and Chris and he rode about 50 meters ahead while Jim and I talked.

Chris and Jim Ashton

Nearing the top we watched two snow plows coming down the road. This morning the road up here was snow covered. But with our two hour shuttle followed by a two hour climb, the road was clear although still wet in a lot of places.

At Turn 3 James stayed behind watching for other riders coming up the road. Chris, Jim and I rode ahead until Turn 1 when I pulled over and made 10 or 12 beautifully packed snowballs. The snow was the perfect consistency for this purpose. I lofted one down two switchbacks below and it landed near James’ feet. Then another. And another. He looked up and thought I was trying to throw snowballs all around him. I wasn’t. I was trying to hit him but my throws sucked.

L-R: Jim Ashton, Barry Sherry, James Shanahan

One more switchback and I reached the top. It was cold although the Trek Travel van was parked just before the summit and it seemed to be 10 degrees (5.5 C) warmer on this side than at the top or going over the other side.

 

Lunch was on our own at the top. Although there were two restaurants which offered warm seating inside, James recommended “Richard,” an Austrian who sets up a grill and cooks bratwurst. That was good enough for me.

Richard’s Bratwurst

Haven ridden up the pass with Chris and Jim, we descended together. On this side there were tunnels. In fact Garmin lost its satellite connection for a while as we zipped in and out of the tunnels.

Both Chris and Jim are excellent descenders and I fell in behind Chris’ line. We were flying as we entered a tunnel. It was dark and featured a sharp right-hander followed by a left hand curve at the exit. The eyes did not adjust from snow covered mountains to dark (with sunglasses on) instantly.

Looking towards Bormio

I followed Chris’ flashing rear light as we went wide in the turn. It was wet in the tunnel with snow melt. Chris went wide so I did too. As he recovered and went back to the right side of the road I was still over the center line when a car, with no lights, appeared in front of me. I touched the rear brakes and my biked fishtailed right in front of the car. I adjusted and brought the bike back under control and missed a head on collision by six inches or so. We did not enter a tunnel with speed after that. Chris apologized profusely.

Jim and Chris Ashton

There are a number of switchbacks on the Bormio side of the mountain as well although not 48 of them (I think there are 40). One of them, as I would discover later, passed within 10 meters of Switzerland and there is a road at another switchback that goes to Switzerland. The border there was about 100 meters away.

We didn’t know to stop to visit Switzerland but for me it was a moot point as I will be in Switzerland later in the week. We followed the road to Bormio then checked into out hotel for the night.

Just down from passo Stelvio on the Bormio side

Stelvio Pass is the highest paved pass in Italy. It is a classic climb that, quite frankly, wasn’t that hard. Of course, I wasn’t racing. But at no point did I think of it as too hard or had to fight myself to keep going. I doubt I get to ride this again but I would love to. It is a great one.

San Pellegrino

MOENA, ITALY

My impressions thus far of riding in the Dolomites, a sub-chain of the Italian Alps, are they’re longer than the climbs we have in the eastern U.S. and steeper than the climbs in the Rockies. That makes for a formidable challenge.

Leaving Moena I left the group go up the group so I could take this photo
Leaving Moena I left the group go up the road so I could take this photo

We rolled out as one group at 9:00 a.m., 17 of us following James Shanahan, our Trek Tour Guide. Around 10 km into the ride my water bottle cage was very loose. I motioned I was dropping out and the group rolled on. I did a quick fix on the cage and then rode tempo back, catching back on. It was not my bike, of course, but a loaner from Trek Travel.

James Callahan and Sonja Schmidt
A view of the Dolomites and James Callahan and Sonja Schmidt

At 12 KM in we had a short water break. I arrived last, checked both bottle cages again, then got back on the road. James liked that, he was not a fan of long breaks, so he and Gary Zentmyer joined me up the road. Eventually I pulled over to take some pictures and noticed a sizable group was now climbing behind me. I took their pictures then caught back up to Gary and eventually passed him, riding with the father-son team of Chris and Jim Ashton.

Lake and snow shed at passo Fedia
Lake and snow shed at passo Fedaia

It was a sweaty ride to the top of passo Fedaia although the temperature dropped fast at the summit. At the top was a dam and I didn’t stay at the van for a break but instead rode across the dam apparently missing Team BMC and Tour de France rider Tejay van Garderen.

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Tejay Van Garderen (left) being trailed by Colin Giffney (Yellow) Credit: Trek Travel

The Trek Travel van was there with our supply of clothes and I grabbed my head cover, knee warmers, long fingered gloves and a jacket for the descent.

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A day dedicated to Jamie Roberts

The way down was through a lot of switchbacks and one straight section. If only I knew my conversions. I was displaying kilometers since those were our turn by turn directions. I hit 84.5 kmh which is about 52.5 mph. Still, it may be the second fast time I have ridden. On a bike I’m not used to.

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Soaking wet hair at Lago di Fedaia (passo Fedaia)

As we rolled into our lunch town of Alleghe, I told our guide, Sonja Schmidt, that I would not be eating lunch, instead preferring to roll on. Gary had made that decision too. Sonja’s main concern for us was lack of support. She asked us to call her when we got back to the hotel. Of course she assumed we could ride faster than they could eat lunch.

Descent from passo Fedaia to Alleghe
Descent from passo Fedaia to Alleghe

Gary and I began the 11-mile ascent by stopping and removing the outer layers we were wearing. Except for my head covering. As we started climbing Gary pulled away by 100 yards. Since I “beat” him up the first climb (Fedaia) I wasn’t sure how this would go. So much depends on length, grade, tiredness, and motive. I thought I would catch back up to him.

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Beautiful lake at Alleghe, Italy

Into the town of Falcad Auto I realized I was sweating hard and remembered I was still wearing my head cover. I worked to remove it at speed. I did but to buckle my helmet I had to stop. I saw a sign for Moena and followed it. Not sure why but it backtracked a little bit and I lost more distance on Gary. I was thinking I went the right way and wondered if he did although looking at the map later, either one was right. I just didn’t know it at the time.

84.5 kph = 52.5 mph
84.5 kph = 52.5 mph

We were on the climb of San Pellegrino. This climb was tough. The switchbacks were numerous and steep. They were all nestled in a deep forest so there were no grand vistas. I saw a sign for 15% grade and another for 18% grade. The bike wasn’t set up with the climbing gears I have on my normal bike and I struggled. Big time.

18% Grade. Credit: Trek Travel
18% Grade. Credit: Trek Travel

On one switchback I saw Gary two turns/switchbacks above. Maybe it was 300 yards, I don’t know, but they were straight up. I was hoping he didn’t look down and see me and want to wait for me as I was too tired to try to stay with anyone.

Oh, MUCH steeper than it looks
Oh, MUCH steeper than it looks

I fought the “Quit Monster” today – that voice that says stop and walk. I did not yield. It hurt. A lot. I kept going albeit slowly. I no longer moved the chain to the third gear to stand and climb. When I stood I stayed in the first gear. Once over the real steep section, I pulled over with 3 km to the summit to change the position on my seat. Once I got going I saw one of our riders coming behind me. Geez. They just spent an hour eating lunch. Was I an hour slower? I sucked.

Day 2 Italy Itinerary – I did the avid option

Reaching the summit of San Pellegrino, drenched, I again dressed with full gear (warmers) for the next descent. It was a nice ride down and a great way to end the ride. When I got back, Garmin showed I had gone 90 km. I thought another 10 would round it to 100. That’s only three miles out then back.

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Barry at San Pellegrino

But there were no flat roads. I started out by going “up” so I could come back and there was no more power in the legs. I went 3 km more (total) then called it a day. Too tired to add a measly 10km more but at least claiming “victory” in my 53 mph descent.

So awesome it even has its own drink
So awesome it even has its own drink (Photo from Woodbridge, Va.)

To make it worse, I just went to Climbybike.com and see they have ranked our ascent of Passo San Pellegrino as the 94th most difficult climb in the Dolomites. Crap. What is worse that is out there waiting for us?

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