Cycling Dolomiti Friulane: Forca di Pani / Lauco

Friday, June 6, 2014

Forca di Pani / Lauco

Today a couple of climbs from 3 years ago that I'm finally revisiting, this time from west to east. I drove to Tolmezzo and warmed up on SS52 to Ampezzo. Here you turn right by the church toward Voltois. After a brief descent to Torrente Lumei the climb begins. In the next 5 kilometers you climb 643 meters, averaging 13.8% gradient, with stretches of 19%. Normally I would have had to stop to rest several times but I have a new 11-30 Centaur cogset and I was able to ride all the way up. From Forca di Pani (1111 meters) you descend steeply to a beautiful area of rolling pastureland, Pani di Raveo. I took Via Macelis, a different more-northerly route than 3 years ago, very fun saliscendi through the fir forest with a final plunge to the village of Raveo. From here you glide down a wide new road to Villa Santina.

At Villa Santina starts the climb to Lauco. This is an excellent stack of switchbacks with very regular gradient (7-8%) for 7 kilometers. I stayed in the 27 cog all the way up. Around 870 meters you peak and descend to Vinaio. 3 years ago I rode to end of pavement at Val di Lauco (1180 meters) but not today; in a few weeks I hope to ride that route on mountain bike to Monte Zoncolan and Arvenis. We'll see how it works out.

Today instead I did a hellish series of climb/descents through Plugna (991 meters) Buttea (924 meters) and Fusea. From Fusea down the switchbacks to Caneva, and across Torrente But to Tolmezzo. Great ride!