Few rides offer such an immediate visual payoff: at the top of this short but brutal climb stand the Tre Cime di Lavaredo, three vertical limestone towers among the most photographed in the Dolomites, unmistakable and visible from the final few hundred metres of the ascent.
The profile from Misurina
From Lake Misurina, it’s about 7.6 km for 600 m of climbing, averaging around 7.9% — a figure that hides a much harder reality over the final 4-5 km, where the gradient regularly exceeds 11% with occasional ramps to 18%. The road, narrow with almost no flat section, gives you barely any respite once past the toll booth.
Unlike longer climbs such as the Pordoi, the effort here feels closer to a time trial: the modest distance tempts you to go out hard, but the sustained percentages of the second half punish an overly optimistic start severely.
How to approach the ride
A wide-range cassette (11-32 or more) helps you hold a decent cadence through the steepest sections, where many riders are tempted to force it out of the saddle. It pays to manage the effort carefully through the rolling first third to keep something in reserve for the final wall.
Since the road is partially shared with motor vehicles (the toll only applies to them, not to bikes), stay alert through the tightest hairpins, which get especially busy during peak summer season.
When to climb it
The road is generally only rideable from late May to early October, outside the snow season. An early start is recommended, both to avoid the afternoon thunderstorms common in the mountains and to enjoy a road with less motorised traffic.
Good to know
Misurina, a small village on the shore of its namesake lake, is the natural starting point for the climb and has a handful of places to stay and rent bikes. The Rifugio Auronzo, at the top, is a good spot to refuel before the descent or to extend the visit on foot to the base of the three towers.
