Of all the hard Gran Fondo races in Italy, one is particularly tough. It’s held every year in mid-June in Feltre, a beautiful town in the northeast of Italy. The name of this extremely difficult race is the Sportful Dolomiti Race. Its fame precedes it: four climbs with a total of 5,000 metres (16,400 ft) of elevation gain over 200 kilometres (120 mi).

There’s also a medium route of 'only' 121 kilometres (75 mi), which you can see here: sportfuldolomitirace.it/). But this Collection showcases the more challenging long route. The four passes to be tackled are Cima Campo, Manghen, Rolle and Croce d'Aune. Typically, the winner completes the route in less than seven hours, but taking eight or nine hours is a respectable achievement.

However, it’s also a beautiful and scenic route for all those who want to split it into two days. In this Collection, you’ll find the four classic climbs adapted so you don’t encounter any busy roads.

Furthermore, there’s an interesting addition in the finale. In 2019, the Giro d'Italia held its penultimate stage on this same route. After the Croce d'Aune, however, the race diverted to the Col Melon and Monte Avena. This is what I recommend, if the 5,000 metres (16,400 ft) of elevation gain already accumulated up to that point are not enough.

Entirely for road bikes, this challenge is suitable for those who want to challenge their legs on long, hard climbs. If you’re looking for a big challenge, this is for you.