Monte Pasubio, strada degli Eroi

If we usually like to do trails and single track, today's is a different route than usual, the lack of trail will be repaid by a crazy panorama and a historical note that will accompany us for the whole tour; we are on Mount Pasubio on the border between the provinces of Vicenza and Trento.This is the name of a mountain that will forever remain linked to the strenuous resistance of Italian troops during the Strafexpedition of 1916 when Alpini, Artiglieri and Fanti managed to stop the Austro-Hungarians just before their descent towards the Vicenza plain.

Leaving the car in the Ponte Verde locality (the only free parking lot), we immediately begin to take altitude for about 3 km on asphalt until we reach Pian delle Fugazze. We continue our itinerary by taking the Strada degli Eroi; the name comes from the fact that plaques are placed on the rock face in honor of the 12 gold medals for military valor who fought on the Pasubio during the Great War.It is a long dirt road with a gentle and regular slope that takes us up to Rifugio Papa at an altitude of 1930 meters; on the way up you will pass through several tunnels carved into the rock, and in the meantime you can enjoy an excellent view of all the Dolomites.

When you arrive at the refuge, if you still have some breath left, we suggest you continue the climb for another 200 meters of elevation gain and about 2km to reach Cima Palon. In this section the climb becomes more challenging, the road several times becomes mule track and narrow and at times we will have to get off the bike. The historical memories that follow one after the other invite us to pedal in silence between trenches and monuments.Arriving at the top we find the Italian and Austrian Teeth; if you have some time you can visit the long tunnels dug into the rock, we recommend a flashlight and helmet.After admiring a splendid panorama between the Brenta Dolomites, Adamello, Baldo, Cima d'Asta and the Asiago Plateau you will have to turn your bike around and ride the road in the opposite direction to the refuge. Here you take the Strada degli Scarubbi, a dirt road very similar to the climb, but still with excellent views.

When you reach the valley, the last 7km, the dirt road gives way to asphalt, always slightly downhill, until you reach our starting point.