Passo San Boldo
There is an amazing story that goes with Passo San Boldo. It is an amazing feat of engineering and manpower.
Known as the Road of 100 Days, this climb is one of the most famous hair-pinned roads in the world.
Between February and June 1918, the Austro-Hungarian army managed to build the road in less than three months. After this fact, the road got the nickname of “road of 100 days.” 1400 people, including prisoners of war and women, children and the elderly in the area, worked day and night to complete the strategic route for refueling during the Battle of Piave. For us its the road to a really nice lunch.
18 Hairpins to Wild Boar Ragu
We roll out of Valdobbiadene on a lovely section of road that has often been used in the Giro d’Italia. It’s a fairly relaxed ride for our warm up. Take the time to take in the views. The rolling vineyards and small villages, take away discomfort of the small pinch climbs, plus the landscape is really worth the wait.
We finally arrive at the town of Tovena – the gateway to Passo San Boldo. Its worth stopping here for a moment to top up your water bottles before the climb. Our first kilometre at 6% gradient leads us to the first tornante (hairpin). The road eases up a little for the next kilometre as we pass tornante 17 and 16.
The tunnels are coming.
We are now in the tree line and the ride becomes a little more pleasant in the shade. However the next 3 kms lifts the level again with average gradients of over 7%. Each of the numbered turns, passes by as the tunnels begin to come into view. When we reach Tornante 7, there is an informational memorial to the 1400 men, women and children who laboured on this project to make it happen.
We pass the 5km mark and our last 700m at over 11% is the most challenging, yet beautiful and mystifying at the same time. The next 700m will see us get through the last 7 hairpins, 6 of which are in the mountainside. Its surreal, to be riding switchbacks in lit tunnels. Beware that there are a couple of traffic lights in this sector, so you may not get a clean run.
Look forward to a rustic meal, washed down with a local beer or wine, for lunch at the summit.
