Cycling Dolomiti Friulane: Passo della Forcella Road Bike

I rode up here on my MTB a couple years ago, stopping to hyperventilate repeatedly. But I figured my fitness has improved since then plus I've got a 34-32 granny gear on the Viner so I might be able to road bike it. I started at Comeglians and did an easy warm-up loop then headed up through Luint and Mione. Now you start a tortuous climb rarely dipping below mid-teens gradient. I tried to take it easy and enjoy the glorious fir tree forest. This worked amazingly well until 1375 meters when the cumulative toll of all those 20% ramps finally blew up. I stopped and hung my head over the bars gasping for oxygen for several minutes. I waited a bit. Then I restarted, made it up the next long ramp and burst into flames. I was done. I did ride bits and pieces here and there in the remaining kilometer or so, but once I hit the concrete ramps, I was walking. Luckily the road bike is much lighter to push than a MTB.

The descent is a delight because the road is so well drained: no wheel-destroying channels to jump or death-brake for. On the other hand it's kind of a corkscrew and you rarely have enough distance to build up speed before the next bend. That's ok though: it's a climb unto itself and doesn't fit into any category. I will try this again, possibly on MTB so I can continue to Rifugio Losa and descend to Lago di Sauris. Spectacular high country!