Why this ride
The Great Dolomite Road links Giau, Falzarego, Pordoi and Sella in one day. From Selva di Cadore it runs 19 km to Cortina d'Ampezzo; allow about 21 min of riding. The highest point is about 2,250 m. The line favours views over speed.
CURVESCOUT / MOTORCYCLE RIDE
Passo di Giau · Dolomites
Plan this ride
- Recorded distance
- 19 km
- Riding-time estimate
- 21 min
- Journey
- Recorded itinerary
Distance and timing basis
The recorded total and the leg detail need reconciliation. Inspect the leg notes before using this record for timing or navigation. Stops, delays, approach and any separate return travel add time. Basis: planning record, not independently verified geometry.
Reading history stays on this device. My road watch requires a separate selection; opening it does not subscribe this ride.
Distances and riding times are planning figures. Check local closures and conditions before you ride.
Scenic road chapters
Passo di Giau · Dolomites
Expect company on a summer weekend. Early is better than fast. For 6 km this is Passo di Giau · Dolomites, a road with a name of its own and a reason for it.
Rider note
Check the pass is open before you commit to it.
Chapter facts
- Length
- 6 km
- Named road
- Passo di Giau · Dolomites
- Pass
- Passo Falzarego
Waypoint introductions and full write-ups
1. Near Selva di Cadore
Passo Giau, at 2,236 metres, is one of the great passes of the Dolomites, and many riders say it is the best. It links Cortina d'Ampezzo with Selva di Cadore and the Fiorentina valley, climbing through larch forests and high meadows to a broad, grassy saddle surrounded by spectacular peaks: the jagged tower of Ra Gusela, the Nuvolau, the Averau and, a little further, the famous Cinque Torri. To the south, the huge rock faces of Monte Pelmo and the Civetta rise above the valleys.
Read the complete Near Selva di Cadore write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
Passo di Giau · Dolomites point 1 sits at 0 km, early in the day. Next is Passo di Giau · Dolomites point 2.
2. Selva di Cadore
Selva di Cadore is a quiet village on the road between two big names, in the Fiorentina valley, with Monte Pelmo on one side and the great wall of the Civetta on the other. It is not a place that most people choose as a destination, and that is part of its appeal. A handful of houses, a church, a few hotels and a ski lift sit in a green bowl, and above them the Pelmo, with its flat, throne-like summit, dominates the view. The mountain is known locally as the throne of God, and when the light catches it at the end of the day, it is easy to see why.
Read the complete Selva di Cadore write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
Passo di Giau · Dolomites point 2 comes up 10 km in. Next is Passo di Giau · Dolomites point 3.
3. Cortina d'Ampezzo
The peaks of the Tofane, Cristallo, Pomagagnon and Sorapiss surround it, and the whole area is part of the UNESCO Dolomites World Heritage Site. The town has about five thousand residents, and many more in the holidays, with elegant shops, bars and a long history as a mountain resort.
Read the complete Cortina d Ampezzo write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
19 km in you reach Passo di Giau · Dolomites point 3.