Classic Climbs Passo Rolle

The stairway to Dolomite heaven

- Words Will Strickson

Two of the eight tallest peaks in the Dolomites are part of the Pale di San Martino, the largest mountain group in the range.

The Vezzana and Cimon della Pala peaks are neighbours, though the latter takes the limelight - and sunlight - thanks to its position on the edge of the massif and its distinctive appearance, with pala translating to paddle or blade. It looks much taller too, but Vezzana is actually six metres higher.

That fact is completely inconsequential, but it's something to think about as you haul your way up the Passo Rolle's 20km with those two vast chunks of rock - the Vezzana cranes its neck to an altitude of 3,192m - looming over your every pedal stroke.

Small farm, big driveway

The name 'Rolle' extends all the way back to the 13th century and traces its roots to the term mons de arola, which in the local language of the time translated to 'small farmyard', referring to the lovely green expanse at the top of the pass.

There are two ways up the Passo Rolle: from Predazzo in the west or from Fiera di Primiero in the south. They're not dissimilar in length (20km and 21km) or gradient (5.8% and 4.6%), and combine for a total of 24 appearances in the Giro d'Italia over the years. Only one of those saw the Passo Rolle used as a summit finish, and most typically it serves as a stepping stone to soften the legs for a finish on another climb, including in 1937 when the Fiera di Primiero side became the first Dolomite climb to ever be used in the Giro.