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technical info
This is a full mountain stage. The route climbs the Passo della Crosetta (11 km, 7% gradient), reaching the Cansiglio, and then descends or undulates, twisting continuously, through the Piave valley, all the way to Pieve di Cadore. The race enters the Boite valley and climbs the Forcella Cibiana (9.6 km, 8% gradient), then enters the Val di Zoldo for the closing ascent.
Final kilometres
The last 15 km in the Val di Zoldo feature two categorised climbs. Coi, the first one, has uphill gradients of nearly 20%; the roadway is narrowed at points, but well paved. The finish is 5 km from the summit. A short descent leads into the final 3 km, with gradients hovering around 6%. Eight consecutive switchbacks lead into the home straight (300 m long and 7 m wide).
start / finish
climb detail
final kilometres
itinerary timetable
tourist info
Host city:
Oderzo
Overview
Oderzo is a city of Paleovenetian origin, and thanks to the open-air archaeological sites and a splendid museum, it preserves evidence of its splendor in Roman times.
Oderzo merit the appellation of “Archaeological City.” Well recognizable is the later medieval and renaissance part in its historic center, which brings us rich artistic and architectural evidence, also visible through urban routes.
From “illustrious Roman Municipium” in 49 B.C., to an episcopal seat under the Byzantine Empire in 641 A.D., in 1338 the city became a Venetian Republic and found a new period of architectural splendor, still visible.
Today it’s cultural vibrancy makes Oderzo an important center of reference in the territory not only for the artistic, archaeological and architectural testimonies of the past, but also thanks to the great cultural and sporting events, including international ones, such as the “Opera in Piazza”, the Architecture Prize “City of Oderzo,” the Mario Bernardi Poetry Prize, the European Road Race, the International Race “Oderzo Archaeological City,” and the Italian Archery Championships, with the final played in Piazza Grande.
Oderzo is a hospitable city, it always offers to visitors many opportunities to discover – walking under its arcades – the charm, flavors and scents of the “joyful” province.
Food
Le Rose del Monticano is a kind of “radicchio” typical of the North-East and bleached using the classic method of Treviso. At the farm Ca’ Bosco in Fratta (Oderzo), they grow it.
This vegetable has been cultivated since the 15th century. The farm also produces traditional local sausages and salamis such as “soppressa veneta”, “salame punta di coltello”, “carrè” and donkey salami. These are specialties for taste experts. In fact in the taverns of the historic center and in the establishments overlooking our Monticano river (a waterway of authentic beauty), you can enjoy a good aperitif tipycal of Oderzo enriched with sliced meats and an excellent wine “Incrocio Manzoni” or a full-bodied Raboso.
Cultivated since Roman times, another typical product of this area is asparagus, rich in fiber and with a strong flavor. It is presented in the “green” or “white” version, depending on its more or less delicate texture. Osteria Al Bersagliere, which fully represents the food and wine tradition of the Veneto region, has specifically created for the “Giro d’Italia” leg in Oderzo, “Gnocchetti al rosa di barbabietola con asparagi verdi” (gnocchi with red beet and green asparagus), perfect with “Tai” a white wine.
The Gattolè restaurant, which overlooks the Monticano River (a magnificent river that runs through the city of Oderzo) always features asparagus as its protagonist by making a classic recipe from the Veneto tradition: eggs and asparagus. Considered a complete and nourishing dish, it is served with a glass of ” Prosecco DOCG.o.” (typical white and sparkling wine).
In the heart of Oderzo, inside the medieval castle and ancient prisons, you can find the starred restaurant Gellius. Its ancient stones from the 11th century B.C. tell the story of an ancient city. Inside, the remains of a patrician-Roman dwelling, now an archaeological area, dominate the ambiance. On the occasion of the “Giro d’Italia” leg, Chef Alessandro Breda presents traditional and innovative dishes full of flavor: “Baccalà cotto e crudo” (a particular codfish cooked and row), “crema di patate affumicate” (a cream of smoked potatoes), “pil pil di Prosecco” (a spanish codfish with Prosecco wine), “cenere di verdure” (particular cooked vegetables).
Wines and beverage
In terms of wine, the Oderzo area has a lot to offer: the most excellent local wine is “Raboso Piave” (red wine), which reach its highest expression in “Malanotte del Piave DOCG”, a red wine with fruity flavor of currants and black cherries, scents of underbrush and spicy aromas with an enveloping and elegant flavor on the palate. The name derives from the small medieval village ‘Malanotte’ located in Tezze di Piave – Vazzola, which still guards the history of these lands. DOC wines include Raboso Piave DOC and Manzoni Bianco DOC Piave, the result of a genetic cross between Riesling Renano and Pinot Bianco.
Points of interest
Piazza Grande
Urbanistically represents the heart of the city. On the trachyte pavement stands the large sundial made of Istrian stone, you can also notice the characteristic “Torresin,” the facade of the cathedral (the original plan dates back to the 10th century), historic residences such as “Casa Ottoboni-Saccomani”, decorated with 16th-century frescoes, “Casa dei Battuti” and “Ca’ Balbi”.
Museo del Duomo
The museum was created in order to preserve and have artistic testimonies that belong to the cathedral and other realities in the area. Among the most important works on view are canvases by Pomponio Amalteo, Ludovico Pozzoserrato, wooden artifacts of the Brustolonian school, and works by 20th-century painters from Oderzo coming from donations.
Porticoes and palaces “Venetian Oderzo”
Oderzo’s “Venetian period” can be seen through the form and painted facades of the porticoed palaces in the historic center. They are decorated and architecturally crafted according to the canons of the Urbs Picta. False diamond ashlars, animal representations and geometric designs, sometimes partially disappeared, in others well restored, are developed on the buildings overlooking the central via Umberto I, Piazza Grande, Piazza Castello, Contrada Rossa and del Cristo.
Foscolo Palace- archaeological civic museum “Eno Bellis”- Art Gallery “A. Martini”
Headquarters of Fondazione Oderzo Cultura, the city’s museum center is formed by Palazzo Foscolo and its Barchessa, a late 16th-century building with typical Venetian villa features and beautiful stuccoes. Here we can find art collections of national interest: the “Alberto Martini” Picture Gallery and Archives, among the most important Italian artists of the early 20th century, the Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art, the Attilia Zava Collection – Artist’s Glass Museum, and the “Eno Bellis” Archaeological Museum. Rich collections from pre-Roman times to late antiquity pass through the glorious past of Roman Opitergium. Very precious finds, such as glass, mosaics, everyday objects confirm composing among the most important museums in the Upper Adriatic area. The exhibition of paintings by Master Tullio Vietri (Oderzo, 1927 – Bologna, 2016) are displayed at the Civic Library and they complete the permanent collections of the Cultural Pole.
Archaeological areas
There are several evocative open-air archaeological sites scattered around the town centre that you can visit by appointment with professional guides working for the Archaeological Authorities of Veneto. Four sites are particularly worth mentioning: the Forum of the Earlier Roman Imperial Age and of a big domus (house); the area of the former jails, situated inside a renowned restaurant not far from the “Torresin” clock tower; the area of Via dei Mosaici, where the lower part of two wells and the mosaic paving of a noble dwelling are preserved; and the area between Piazza Grande and Piazza Castello, where a tunnel has been built inside a modern building between the squares to show visitors the remains of one of the two main Roman town roads and a paved floor displayed vertically.
Bee-Keeping Museum
The Museum, established in the memory of the bee-keeper Guido Fregonese was Inaugurated in June 1966, the tour leads the visitor on a discovery of beehives and the instruments created by man to protect and improve the bees’ existence (extractrors, queen excluders, smokers, feeders, bee escapes, etc.), all this with the help of pictures and prints.
Val di Zoldo
Overview
Val di Zoldo is an unspoiled valley located in the heart of the Dolomiti Bellunesi. Guarded by the two iconic summits of Monte Pelmo and Monte Civetta, its authentic nature makes it a well appreciated tourist destination among Italian and foreigner travellers.
Val di Zoldo extends at the Northern gate of the National Park of Dolomiti Bellunesi, a unique place, rich in extraordinarily important values in terms of scenery and natural habitat. On the other side, the valley is delimited by the Ski Civetta ski resort, which offers no less than 72 km of skiing slopes, part of the bigger carousel of Dolomiti Superski.
Since time immemorial, the entire territory of Val di Zoldo has always been coupled by the iron and steel extraction as well as the mining activity. However, the part of history thanks to which Val di Zoldo is renowned as the “Land of ice cream makers” started in the end of the 19th century. By that period, people from Zoldo had already reached several corners of the world, disseminating the passion and the art of artisanal ice cream throughout the whole European continent and even overseas.
Nowadays, Val di Zoldo is the ultimate destination for mountain and outdoor adventure enthusiasts. From winter sports, such as downhill skiing (also at night-time), ski mountaineering, biathlon and nordic skiing or the less demanding snowshoe walks, to summer activities, simple walks and trekkings, via ferratas, climbing on the dolomitic rocky walls and finally the grand tours of the Dolomites.
No lack of ancient traditions, culture and of a profound past, which history can be deeply breathed among the alleys of the many hamlets dotted by the typical “tabià” (wooden barns).
Food
Val di Zoldo is dotted with restaurants, the traditional “malghe” or “rifugi”, where you can taste the typical dishes and cuisine of the Dolomites, or the ice cream and pastry shops where you can eat artisanal ice cream and delicacies.
I CASUNZIEI
The casonziei, or casunziei in some local dialects, are typical staffed dumplings, very common in many cuisines of the Dolomiti Bellunesi. A soft dough, carefully handmade filled with vegetables or other ingredients, such as ricotta and spinach, beet, or with pumpkin and cinnamon and served with beurre fondu, as in the original recipe of Val di Zoldo.
COTTAGE CHEESE
A break in a typical cottage, the so called “malga”, a moment of relaxation and a mixed cheese platter. A simple circumstance can turn into a real surprise, revealing the scents and tastes of the authentic mountain, still loyal to its nature. Every sample reminds of flowery meadows, where the cows and goats enjoy the grazing.
When being in Val di Zoldo as visitors, this is a must!
DOLOMITI BELLUNESI HONEY PDO AND SAFFRON
In Val di Zoldo, there are many farms dedicated to the cultivation of Earth products: 0 km beans and potatoes, but also saffron, the so called “red gold”. Some take advantage of the rich biodiversity and of the peculiar flora of the Dolomiti Bellunesi to produce the Dolomiti Bellunesi Honey, recognised with the PDO label. Besides being a genuine and completely natural products it has also special therapeutical properties.
THE ARTISANAL ICE CREAM OF VAL DI ZOLDO
The protagonist of the gastronomic tradition of Val di Zoldo is unquestionably the artisanal ice cream. Still nowadays, the real origins of ice cream and the reason why it influenced the history of many dolomitic valleys are a mystery. What’s sure is the fact that Zoldo’s ice cream makers, worldwide known, spread the art of ice cream all over Europe and South America with an innate passion. This is a long story of success, built from one generation to the other since the end of the 19th century, when the great emigration from Italy to the northern Europe took place. There is nothing as natural and healthy as the artisan variety, made with carefully selected, fresh, genuine ingredients such as cocoa, vanilla pods, milk, eggs, sugar and fresh fruit. Close attention to the quality of the raw materials, teamed with an ability to dose the ingredients carefully and to stick to traditional ice cream making times and methods is able to turn a simple food into a delight for the palate. If you are in Val di Zoldo do not forget to stop by an ice cream shop for a delicious break. Plus, if you’re lucky arriving in the right moment, you may have the chance to attend a demonstration by Zoldo’s ice cream makers, showing how ice cream was produced more than a century ago, using original tools and machineries.
Points of Interest
ART TREASURES: S. FLORIANO’S CHURCH
Val di Zoldo is an interesting destination for art and culture devotees. It was the birthplace of the local artist Andrea Brustolon (1662-1732), also known as “the Michelangelo of wood”, for being a talented engraver. The artist donated to his hometown art treasures of rare beauty. An example amongst the other worth of mentioning is his juvenile work “the altar of the souls in purgatory”, a fine representation of “Memento mori”, scrupulously shielded in the diocesan district church of San Floriano, located in Pieve di Zoldo. The church built with a peculiar gothic taste has very ancient origins. It was raised already during the Xth century on an extraordinarily fascinating and strategic location dominating the so called Canale di Zoldo and it was solemnly ordained in 1487. In 1912 it entered the catalogue of monumental historical buildings of the Province of Belluno.
IRON AND NAILS MUSEUM
For centuries, iron has been a protagonist in Val di Zoldo’s history. The workings on the slopes, the sound of the sledge hammers and the smell of charcoal smoke have marked the passage through these mountains for a very long time. It is precisely through the individual and collective memories that the Zoldo community wanted to initiate the reconstruction of the hundreds years of work of the blast furnaces. The Iron and Nail Museum is spread over two floors in Palazzo del Capitaniato, in Forno di Zoldo. The exhibition is composed of various sections: images, written reports, objects besides a great array of gears and nails produced by the nail makers of Val di Zoldo. Every piece describes the nail production activity and the related daily routine of the community. The museum is open during summer months, or upon reques.
ANCIENT HAMLETS AND VILLAGES
Each little village in Val di Zoldo has a fascinating story to tell, which remains virtually intact in its traditional architectures, historical buildings and churches, authentic treasure chests of art. Among the others, Coi, the highest in altitude and the most panoramic hamlet of the valley. Located at 1500 meters, it is one of the most charming and picturesque spots of Dolomiti Bellunesi, surrounded by and incredible panorama over Mount Pelmo and the Mount Civetta chain. While exploring the small alleys dotted with ancient houses and the typical tabià, its visitors experience a real throwback to the past. This is a true paradise for photographers as well as for architecture and nature lovers. Another gem of Val di Zoldo is Fornesighe. Legend has it, it never burned. Nestled on a gentle slope completely exposed to the sunlight, Fornesighe relishes of a splendid view on the dolomitic group of Tamer San Sebastiano and on the Spiz di Mezzodì. Strolling around the narrow streets running between long-standing buildings, one can breathe a special timeless atmosphere. In fact, the village presents architectural elements of the past, still perfectly preserved.
Must-see in Fornesighe: the alpine carnival La Gnaga taking place during the first weekend of February.
SKI CIVETTA AND NIGHT SKIING
Val di Zoldo is one of the Ski Civetta ski resorts. Thanks to the connections among the different areas (Val di Zoldo, Palafavera, Selva di Cadore and Alleghe), one can skiing down over 72 km of slopes with one single ski ticket. If we add fresh snow, a clear-blue sky and sunny days it can be told it’s a true winter paradise! In Val di Zoldo the adventure doesn’t end when the sun goes down. The meeting point for the “tireless skiers” is in Pecol after the sunset on the slopes Foppe and Cristelin, perfectly lit to ski also at night-time. 5 km of runs served by the fabulous 12 seat cable car and open mountain huts on the top… an unmissable experience!
PRAMPER VALLY: THE NORTHERN GATE TO THE NATIONAL PARK OF DOLOMITI BELLUNESI
Val di Zoldo with the splendid Pramper valley is the northern gate to the National Park of Dolomiti Bellunesi. The Dolomiti Bellunesi National Park was born in order to protect a territory of extraordinary value on account of its scenery and natural habitat, as well as rare species of flora and fauna. The lord of the landscape is the group represented by the Pramper and the Mezzodì. The scene of the summits of the Moschesin/Gardesana completes the picture. The high plateau of Pramperet and Prà della Vedova are particularly beautiful but so are the nearby valleys which are evidence of natural balance almost without pollution.Many trails run in this green paradise. Trekking paths of various levels of difficulty and also the itineraries of well-known multi-day routes, such as Alta Via n. 1, Alta Via delle Dolomiti Bellunesi and the local Anello Zoldano.
DINOS’ PRINTS AT THE FOOT OF MOUNT PELMO: THE GEOLOGICAL HISTORY OF THE DOLOMITES
Many are unaware that the Pelmo, emblematic summit of Val di Zoldo was the first peak of the Dolomites to be climbed: on 19 September 1857, the Englishman John Ball reached the summit along what would later become known as Ball ledge. However, the history of Mount Pelmo is much more than this. Pelmo with its youngest sibling Mount Pelmetto can offer a throwback in a deeper past: at the basis of Pelmo rocky wall, at 2050 metres a stone with dino’s print was found, dating back to the Triassic period. The one of Pelmetto was the first archaeological site in the Dolomites of its kind. The rediscover suggests that the prints formed around 225 million years ago. The stone can be reached on foot with a medium-difficulty excursion starting from Passo Staulanza and following the path CAI 472 in the direction of Rifugio Venezia. After some time walking, a well visible deviation on the left leads to the site.
