Rolle Pass: a serpentine road to the summit
Passo Rolle is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1.989m (6,526ft) above the sea level, located in Trentino, Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, in northern Italy.
Located within the Parco Naturale Paneveggio - Pale di San Martino, in the Dolomites mountain range, the pass is traversed by the Strada Statale 50 (SS50) road. The asphalted road to the summit connects the Fiemme and Primiero valleys and was built between 1863 and 1874. It includes uncountable curves. In sparse pine forest serpentine by serpentine the road winds up. During the Dolomite war, the Passo di Rolle gained negative fame as the main battle line ran along this mountain chain.
The pass is one of the legendary climbs of the Giro d’Italia, a classic for those who are passionate about cycling. This is an unforgettable trip full of mind blowing days on a bicycle. The road made the history of great cycling when in 1937 it marked the debut of the Dolomites in the Giro d’Italia.
There are 2 routes to reach the summit. Starting from Fiera di Primiero, the ascent is 23.1 km long. Over this distance, the elevation gain is 1.253 meters. The average percentage is 5.4 %, with a máximum gradient of 9.8%. And starting from Predazzo, the ascent is 20.5 km long. Over this distance, the elevation gain is 957 meters. The average percentage is 4.7 %, with a máximum gradient of 11.0%.