TOUR Transalp stage 3: Falcade → San Martino di Castrozza
Passports: Passo Valles, Passo Rolle | Difficulty: 3/5
After the demanding Queen's stage it gets a little shorter, but the stage is a tough one. The kilometres may seem unspectacular for racing cyclists, but on no other stage is the ratio of altitude metres to kilometres higher. In less than 50 kilometres, there are almost 1800 metres of elevation gain - it's never flat! Despite the shorter time in the saddle, this stage should not be underestimated.
The start is a varied loop through the villages above Falcade. The route leads past old farmhouses and sheds made of sun-tanned, dark brown wood, through a carpet of lush green mountain meadows, through which quiet roads meander. The actual ascent only begins once you reach Falcade at the bottom of the valley.
The two passes Passo Valles and Passo Rolle are among the absolute classics of the TOUR Transalp. Their steady and moderate gradient and the layout of the roads are ideal for road cycling. However, concentration is required on the racy descent from Valles to Val Travignolo, as fast straights and tight bends make for a somewhat unpredictable mix.
The scenic highlight is the Pale di San Martino, which form the southernmost massif of the Dolomites. These towers scratch against the sky in such a rugged, pointed and sublime manner that they provide a worthy final chord after two days in this extravagant mountain range. San Martino lies at the feet of these impressive mountains, and after this "sprint stage" there is certainly a little more time to enjoy the first-class mountain panorama in peace and quiet and to the full.
>> Passo Rolle tours - pass description
>> Dolomites cycle tour - Several round tours through the passes
>> Monte Grappa road bike tours - Road bike tours around Grappa
TOUR Transalp stage 4: San Martino di Castrozza → Possagno
Passports: Passo Croce d'Aune, Monte Grappa | Difficulty: 4/5
Day four is particularly challenging for the photographic memory, as completely different landscapes have to be placed in the right context. The route leads from the mountain village at the foot of the 3,000 metre-plus skyscrapers of the Pale di San Martino to where the grapes for Prosecco grow in just a few hours. These are two worlds - visually, culturally and climatically. This stage is a small transalp in itself.
Possagno lolls in the sun at just 200 metres above sea level on the southern edge of the Monte Grappa massif. On the way there, however, there are still two significant climbs in the way.
The Passo Croce d'Aunelast crossed in 2023 during the TOUR Transalp, is an inconspicuous pass in the hinterland of Feltre. Its ramp winds its way up through picturesque villages and then offers a speedy descent to the gates of Feltre.
The Monte Grappathe second mountain on this stage, is a vast massif with green, overgrown flanks. Its summit barely cracks the 1700 metre altitude mark - nothing compared to the peaks of the Dolomites. But that doesn't matter to the Grappa, as it sits proudly 1500 metres above the plain at its feet. It is the last real mountain in the Alps - after that, the mountains have nothing more to offer apart from a few puny cypress hills as far as the Adriatic.
Approached from behind, the Grappa does not look very spectacular. However, the roads on its southern flank can all be described as the definition of the term "panoramic road". From the very top, a wild, winding descent down the southern side of the massif to the gates of Bassano del Grappa awaits.
However, the route then leads away to the east at the foot of the mountain via Crespano del Grappa, which has already been a stage stop on the Transalp several times, to Possagno. This was already planned as the finish of the TOUR Transalp in 2020, but unfortunately had to be cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The stage destination in Possagno is visually extraordinary and also a cultural highlight. Antonio Canova, born in Possagno, was an important neoclassical sculptor in the late 18th and early 19th century. The Tempio Canova was built above the town according to his ideas and designs - an imposing round building with a neoclassical columned façade that catches the eye from afar from the plain. In front of it is a large, open square, ideal for the finish of the Transalp.
Info:
- Date: Sunday, 21 June to Saturday, 27 June 2026
- Stages: seven stages, optionally also three or four
- Distance: 726 kilometres, 16,423 metres in altitude
- Start: Lienz (Austria)
- Destination: Riva del Garda (Italy)
- Website TOUR Transalp: www.tour-transalp.de
Kristian Bauer
Editor
