Monte Velo and Monte Bondone Loop

Monte Velo - P. Santa Barbara - P. Bordala - Monte Bondone 💪🏼☀️🥵😬.

"Gugged au d Landschaft ooh!" (Swabian for "See and enjoy what flora and fauna are offering you for free in the current live stream! If you like it, leave a subscription, activate the gray bell and give the lake a thumbs up!" This is the motto that best summarizes the crisp round with two mountain ratings over Monte Velo and Monte Bondone. Taken in and of themselves, two classics that should definitely not be missing in the logbook. Typical for Lago, of course, can be combined! For gourmets, there is also an additional descent to Trento and a third ascent back before returning to the Sarca Valley via the long and, for racing bike conditions, very flowing, wide road. If you drive the round counterclockwise, you will find perfect timing - the morning sun has not yet got its grip on the western slope of Monte Stivo and so the shady and cool streak to Santa Barbara is a pleasure. On the way there are always great panoramas towards Lago, Riva and Arco. Attention: Anyone who is easily overtaken by robust locals pedaling should let them go. You will need the grains later! For the sake of comfort, I circumvent Ronzo on an idyllic (and almost continuously asphalted!) High-altitude path and thus directly reach the Passo Bordala (1250m). If you like, you can build in extra meters here. After a short descent with an impressive view of the ridge between the Sarca and Adige valleys, you pass Lago di Cei, an idyllic gem for weekend excursions. Continue downhill to the entrance to the 19km ramp to Monte Bondone. The road pulls up on the east side of the slope with approx. 6-8% and offers dreamy views of the Adige Valley and the mountains opposite. You roll almost vertically over the miniature truck caravans moving towards Brenner. Lunch break then in the idyllic Garniga Terme am See in the middle of town - what a wonderful world. So strengthened it can go on and the Monte Bondone awaits again with a second Monte Velo plus X, again on a very comfortable narrow road with 7-12%. Good, if you still have the said grains from Monte Velo in your pocket ... At least the route is almost completely in the forest, so that the sun cannot burn you into the asphalt. At the top then at the turning point "gentle ski tourism" (not) with functional functional buildings. But also a sports bar with a view towards Brenta and a custom made sandwich with power for the return journey. Roxette's “Almost Unreal” and Kaoma “Lambada” are on the radio station “Forever Young” (that's how I feel right now 😂). Straight into the playlist and onto the AirPods for the descent! To say it with bath salt: “Oh, there is de Lambada! If de Lambada hadn't been there, the device wouldn't have taken anything! ”😀 As a reward, the long descent to Lasino follows - where the gusty headwind from the direction of Arco almost throws me off my bike. Here, carbon rims with high flanks are a disadvantage and I want my mountain bike brand to be “running smoothly” - but less speed means more enjoyment and - as mentioned at the beginning - “landscape”! The very last section to the Sarca blows my mind for a moment: In front of me, after a right bend, the massive rock face of Monte Casale (1630m), through which the highly recommended via ferrata “Che” Guevara leads. Simple in itself (B / C), but unimaginable from a distance how a path over 1300 meters in altitude should lead to the summit through this wall ... Sufficient liquid is definitely important here, as the wall is fully in the sun. The end leads past Lago di Cavedine and the lunar landscape Biotopo delle Marocche, created by a massive landslide. The sun is burning here again with an extra plug-in - also one of those special experiences on Lake 😀 Great day - great tour. And awesome landscape!