Bikepacking the Veneto Trail

The Veneto Trail is a 500km unsupported bikepacking adventure through the Veneto region of Northern Italy. Starting in Cittadella, the off road loop takes in the spectacular views & trails of the Dolomiti Bellunesi National Park.

I came to the Dolomites a few years ago when touring across the Alps – It rained the entire time. I didn’t see those famed, imposing tooth-like slabs. Its one of those places I’ve been yearning to come back ever since – only this time, I wanted to savor it.

In recent years I’ve gotten fascinated by the world of ultra-distance racing, however since sustaining a brain injury, it was clear that ultra-distance racing will be off the cards for a while. My infatuation with big rides & breathtaking landscapes has not diminished – the Badger Divide back in April only reinforced my intention to get back to big rides. I’ve learned that I can do big rides this year, however I have to accept the constraints still attached; I simply have to get enough sleep every night & not elevate my heart rate too much during the day.

Bikepacking the Veneto Trail was therefore a holiday for me, not a race. My strategy was ride hard, but eat & sleep harder!

Pre-Ride

I arrived in Venice a couple of days before the event, to be greeted by a wall of heat & humidity. Coming from the UK, where its 15degrees all year round, this hot, sticky, muggy heat it was immediately sweaty & unpleasant. I expected my HR would need a bit of time to adapt to this heat before engaging in a 500km/10’000m ride. A couple of days riding & sleeping in this heat before the bikepacking the Veneto Trail was a smart decision.

The other thing to note since sustaining my brain injury in December was that I’ve lost a lot of weight since. I’m 67kg & carrying a lot less fat. Whilst that probably sounds good to a lot riders, I was very nervous of starting a bit ride without the ‘excess’. Before ultra-distance races, where I expect to be burning in excess of 10’000 calories per day, I like to start with a bit of ‘extra’ fat – eating that much for consecutive days & nights isn’t pleasant, ensuring calories in = calories out can be quite difficult.  

I needn’t have worried; food, especially carbohydrate, is in abundance in Italy! A bunch of British riders met up for pizza & a chat the night before. This pretty much set the tone for my ride strategy!

Day 1

After a less than pleasant night sleeping in a communal gym in Cittadella, we started from Pizza Pierobon. By 9am, it was already scorching. 360 riders setting off along the same trails was a bit chaotic. It took a few hours of flat riding for the pack to thin out, where individuals found others riding at their pace. The atmosphere was so vibrant, its one thing I absolutely love about these events; community.

I rode according to my HR all day, with a plan to get to Asiago & over the 1500m pass as early as possible. The terrain was tough going up & down hill; my 29er hardtail proving to be a smart choice for bikepacking the Veneto Trail. By mid-afternoon, I’d met 3 other riders & we covered ground quick, making lightwork of the 1500m pass. It brought back memories of the Hope1000 last year, suffer for a few hours on the climb, enjoy the outrageous views from the summit. Vast, expanse views from Casonetti of the Dolomiti region.

One of the riders, Andrea, found us Trattoria in Primolano to get something to eat that night. Since it wasn’t a race & none of us in a rush, we ended up stopping for a 4 course Italian dinner! We could’ve easily missed it. It was a lovely little place, serving classic home cooked food from a pretty much ‘fixed’ menu. Finding fibrous veggies & healthy ‘proper’ food can be a challenge on these rides, often succumbing to convenience & gas station nutrition. Not this time.

The problem with riding with fast riders is that didn’t align with my strategy for bikepacking the Veneto Trail; they wanted to keep going into the night. Me, I wanted a 10hour sleep & a shower. I probably could of gone on with them, I wish I had – there’s something inspiring about riding in a group, learning about & conversing with new people; the worries attached to long distance riding just fade away as you share the experience.

It’d been an awesome first day bikepacking the Veneto Trail. Met some really cool people & covered the distance I wanted to. The trails had been mint, it was a proper mountain bike ride – very akin to those ‘proper Yorkshire rocky descents’ that I’m so accustomed to – only this time, without the endless number of gates, sheep shit & infinitely better views!

I bedded down at a campsite on the shores of Lago di Corlo – I chose campsites each night. The risk with ‘camping wild’ is being moved on – not a hassle I was interested in for this adventure.

Cittadella – Lago di Corlo, 146km, 3026m, 9h ride time.

Day 2

Waking up on the shores of a serene, glass-like lake, with only one thought in my mind; where is my first espresso going to be? I rode along the lake shores, heading for Feltre; coffee first, world second.

Day 2 of bikepacking the Veneto Trail was a planned ‘transition day’. I’m still ‘recovering’ from my head injury, so I have to plan my days & efforts accordingly. I put in a big day yesterday with a lot of climbing, therefore I knew I had to stay ‘restorative’ today. Riding towards & admiring the Dolomites was special! More great food & coffee equally special!

I don’t really have much to add for day 2! The riding was easy, most of the climbing on tarmac. I could mention food again, as I found plenty of espresso & nice pastries, but this is supposed to be a blog about riding bikes in the Dolomites, not a food review of Italy!

The views were yet again stupendous. I stopped for a late lunch in Agordo – probably most beautiful place I’ve ever been. Although I feel like that statement changed with every town I arrived in! I didn’t start day 2 till gone 9am and finished by 5pm. It was a surprisingly short day, by my ultra-distance standards. To the point where, out of boredom, I washed my kit at the campsite before heading out to find pizza & marvel at my surroundings.

I use Whoop to track my recovery & sleep. This relaxing evening, coupled with cooler temperatures allowed my body to get out of a high stress state, meaning my body was better ready for sleep.

Lago di Corlo – Alleghe 106km, 1800m, 6h ride time.

Day 3

I’ll start this section by saying day 3 was the best day I’ve ever had on a bike. Wow. It was THAT good. I should’ve known after that start in Alleghe that it’d be something pretty special. It was one of those ‘is this even real’ kind of feelings. I felt awestruck; humbled that my life allows me to ride bikes in places like this – especially after my brain injury.

It made me laugh, people arriving at nearly 10pm last night to the same campsite, then set off before 7. Me, I got another 10hour sleep, went into Alleghe for pastry & coffee, then set about the Falzarego climb. I wasn’t intentionally riding fast, I didn’t think I was anyway, but clearly eating well & recovering well meant I was feeling just as strong everyday – my strategy was working.

From Alleghe, it was an offroad ascent of Falzarego. This I loved. I’m a sucker for tough climbs. I love the challenge & focus it requires. The snapshot views through the forest. Everything about it. The final few km’s on the road up to the summit brough back some fond memories – only this time it was under blue sky, not an impending thunderstorm! It was one of those climbs where my legs felt stronger & stronger, spinning in endless perfect circles – where I didn’t want it to end.

But, the best thing about the end was an espresso & some more views – then the descent! It was an epic singletrack descent into Cortina via Col Gallina. Like most alpine descents, it started out pretty expanse with unrivalled views across the mountain range, before heading into forest, along a pristine river taking in steep, technical rooty sections. I had so much fun!

I sat in Cortina, savouring just how enjoyable the day had been. Wondering if this was all real! The only problem with this, the day got warmer & I knew another 2000m climb up to Tre Croci was waiting. Choosing to eat well & hydrate before this was a smart move. The climb wasn’t fun, headwinds, super steep & loose gravel. It was a drag. But still, worse places to suffer, for the views were once again just otherworldly.

In similar fashion, the trees cleared meaning the summit was in sight. I’d buddied up with a German chap – we hi-fived at the summit before sitting down to enjoy the fruits of our labor. We sat and marvelled at the landscape before us. Not only were the views our entertainment, but watching other riders trying to descend was quite an amusing. It was a ridiculously steep, loose gravel track. Komoot estimates it at over -30% in gradient. It was a service road for the ski region, meaning that track was made for 4×4’s & snow ploughs. What it wasn’t made for; gravel bikes!

I looked at him, he looked back. I said ‘we’re not pushing down here are we?’ ‘F no’ was the response. We were both on hardtails. Me, with Hope E4 brakes & a 203mm front rotor. I had been called out. Rather than get scared watching someone else, I had to go first. It was loose & sketchy as hell. The front wheel & entire bike sliding underneath me. Turning was not an option; back brake was locked up & skidding, front brake modulating speed. Turning the bars more than a few degrees would surely have washed out my front wheel – it was that loose. The deeper the scree, the more my tyres dug in & allowed my bike track better.

I flew down, past dumbstruck hikers & other riders, pushing their bikes. It was some of the sketchiest fun I’d had in ages, whooping out loud all the way down! I sat at Lago di Misurina, laughing at the tourist hell hole that it has become due to Tre Cime di Lavaredo. The bike is a much better way to see these places, it offers an escape from the madding crowd.

As if I hadn’t done enough climbing with 74km and 2500m already that day, I rode 2km off the route & up another 400m to Refugio Col de Varda for an overnight stay and tea. This was a holiday for me, taking this excursion was a bit of redemption for lack of satisfaction last time I was in the dolomites. I sat out on the Refugio balcony, with an alcohol-free beer, watching the sun set over Lago di Misurina & the Dolomiti National Park. I felt like the luckiest man alive. There is no sweeter feeling than a well-earned view! I reflected back on the day, it had been beautiful in every way. Challenging & rewarding in equal measure. These are the days I live for, memories that’ll stay with me for a lifetime.

I savoured the mountain air before bedding down – a quiet room & no hassle or noise from other campers was blissful.

Alleghe – Lago di Misurina. 76km, 2900m, 6h ride time.

Day 4

I woke up in paradise. Coffee & breakfast, sat on top of the Alps, meant I was in no rush to leave. The one thing I had overlooked in my euphoric state was the effect altitude has on the body. My body had remined in an elevated stress state, with a resting heart rate of 54 – its normally between 38-42bpm.

Today needed to be a fast day. It was humid from the first minute, sweating from just freewheeling downhill. The clouds thickened all morning; rain was inevitable. The heat & blue sky ended; a thunderstorm was building. I hopped from town to town, as I rolled from Auronzo di Cadore, to Peive di Cadore, to Longarone, stocking up on supplies & coffee. It was simple river side cycle path trails all morning, meaning I covered big distance.

Every town in Italy has these little bars & coffee spots, where capitalism just isn’t a thing. People aren’t working non-stop; they’re just hanging out & living peacefully. Either talking or reading a book. No-one is in a rush; the owners aren’t moving people on to clear space. Its such a change of pace. Me being foreign, on a loaded bike, in a remote town attracted a lot of attention – with polite manners & attempt to speak their language, owners can never do enough for you. La Dolce Vita.

It was a headwind all morning kind of morning. Whilst it kept me cool & kept the rain the bay, the optimism only lasts so long. Riding along the river into Belluno was a less than fun experience. I parked up in a café, soaking wet, ordered 2 of everything & waited for the bouncing rain to calm down. It was time to re-assess my options; the forecast showed the rain would clear by early evening. There were no campsites, not that camping in the rain would be fun. I went to a shop, bought enough food to get me through the final 140km & decided I would ride through the night to finish bikepacking the Veneto Trail.

The climb up to Monte Barbaria was cut short by awful weather. The trail became a river. I had to hike as traction was just non-existent on the wet rocks & leaves. Thunder isn’t so scary when its far away, when it engulfs you & echoes around you it becomes real & a bit intimidating. To turn around, or keep going? I saw other riders, Europeans more accustomed to it than me, they were happy to keep going – therefore so was I.

Half way up, I was drowned. I saw a refuge hut with bikes outside. Great I though, let’s see if I can escape this! I walked in, to be greeted by a multitude of languages & sarcastic faces of others caught up, but seeing the funny side of this. The fire was on, we chatted as we dried out our clothes. The place stunk with wet kit hanging from the rafters. More & more riders piled in – there was enough seats & sleeping space for 8, at a push maybe? By 7pm, Bivacco Costacurta was refuge for 12 sodden cyclists!

It was my intention to wait out the rain, but it wasn’t till 9pm it began to ease off. I’d given up thinking of riding through the night. There wasn’t much to gain by pushing on, it wasn’t a race. The descent would likely have been equally as unrideable. The 6hour delay meant I’d run out of food if I kept riding all night. I stuck up my tent, choosing the comfort of my own space, over sharing a solid concrete floor with 12 others. I had a measly slice of cold supermarket pizza for tea – a far cry from the luxury food I’d indulged in the last few days. The delay cost me 14 hours, the time I expected to take to finish – therefore I wasn’t sure when I’d next get food resupply, so was careful not to eat everything I had.

Misurina – San Boldo 131km, 1700m, 7h ride time.

Day 5

I don’t like stopping halfway up a climb if I can help it, the weather obviously screwed that up last night. Therefore day 5 started with a lot of hike-a-bike & tough climbs to get to the finish.

I needn’t haven’t worried about not getting fed the next morning, I found coffee & breakfast at a mountain farm – the giveaway being the other 8 bikes already outside! We shared stories of last night, much easier to laugh about it over breakfast the next morning.

I wasn’t best pleased about some the trail choices that morning, the descent brutally tough, technical & overgrown. Despite that initial frustration, the final descent off Pianezze di Valdobbiadene was mega fun; steep, technical & fast. The kind where you need a mountain bike & some bike handling skills, otherwise it’d have been more unpleasant pushing down a trail.

My initial displeasure may have subsided, but was compounded by when the route crossed a live railway – that just should not happen on organized, fixed route events. Storm damage had toppled a lot of trees between San Vito & Origo, along the Piave river. I only found out about the road diversion after the event.

Looking back now, I realize that all events have one final kick in the teeth; its never a romantic easy ride to the finish. I rode the final descents like a lunatic, spurred on by the premise of gelato. Rolling into the finish line early afternoon, I got my finishers stamp & photo, before escaping as quickly as I could. I hate finish lines an all the fanfare that comes with it – I prefer to celebrate in my own way; quietly. I like to reflect back on the event, process it & savour it in my own way.

San Boldo to Cittadella. 89km, 1600m, 6h ride time.

That afternoon I took a leaf out of the Italian book, I sat outside a bar with a fizzy water & did nothing. Its no problem at all to just exist in a public place & chill out. Since I’ve given up alcohol, I take much more care over what I eat. That night, I went to fancy trattoria in Cittadella, where the food was exquisite – the perfect end to the trip. Good calories, quality home cooked food & strudel for dessert was unreal. Grazie, Italia!

Post Event Thoughts…

I do these events & races as it allows me to see more of the world, these rides take me off the beaten track & to places I’d probably never otherwise visit. Bikepacking the Veneto Trail was another example of that; another awesome adventure in a beautiful art of the world.

Logistically it was easy. Rail transport links, start/finish a the same place, bag storage & a place to sleep, meant it couldn’t have been easier for someone looking to do their first ‘big’ bikepacking ride.

I mentioned earlier about how challenging food can be in these rides, when racing it often becomes an ‘eat what you can get’ approach, relying on 24hour gas station crap. Not here. Food is revered in Italy, something they take pride in producing. Whilst bikepacking the Veneto Trail I spent a lot of time in restaurants & cafes, eating high quality nutritious stuff. This idea of pasta for a ‘primi piatti’ course & the protein/veg for a ‘secondi piatti ’ course was ace! I found myself eating lots of healthy green fibrous produce & yoghurt. The kind of things that help to maintain a healthy gut. Protein wasn’t an issue & obviously carbs weren’t. never once did I end up bloated, or feeling the urge to turn to chocolate, biscuits or any kind of high sugar nonsense.

I chose to aim for campsites each night. The nature of my brain injury means I can perform sustained effort on consecutive days, providing I get enough sleep & recovery in-between. Campsites eliminate the ‘being moved on’ aspect of wild camping. It also provides water & a shower.

Ultra-distance racing means riding as much as possible, often in the dark. Here, bikepacking the Veneto Trail, I intended to do the opposite & take as much time as possible to enjoy the views.

As for the terrain, some of the descents were tough. Even on a mountain bike. I ride with enduro mountain bikers at home, so I’ve ended up pretty handy on a mountain bike. I was grateful for those extra skills & had so much fun going downhill. Others not so much – a lot had to walk downhill!

I was a bit concerned about being ‘underweight’ before the event. I knew I would have to ensure I never got into a calorie deficit on the ride. It was a conundrum of eating to gain/maintain weight, but not overeating to send my HR even higher. Thankfully I was never pushed out of my comfort zone, therefore I was never really challenged by this. I’ve learned to listen to my body this year & tune into to what its telling me.

Countries like Italy make you realize just how f*cked the UK is nowadays. Stuff actually works in Italy; food is such high quality, no rotting fruit and veg, culture actually exists and people are respectful. People understand their place & sense of community, none of this ‘as long as I’m alright’ attitude that has become so prevalent in the UK. Wealth in Italy is defined by health, not bank balance. If your body isn’t low fat and lean, you could learn a thing or two from the Italians.

I realize now as I’m getting older and the way injuries/life push you around are actually the things shaping you. During this injury, I learned & understood the importance of sleep, nutrition and all the other things that make a healthy, balanced life. I now live according to those parameters; doing what’s good for me and avoiding what’s bad. Italy showed me & reinforced the importance of this healthy lifestyle.

I’m going to miss Italy – because of what I’m going back to. I hate the UK, hate it more now than ever. Having fallen in love with Italy’s faults and culture, I dread going home. High-quality, low-cost – now going back to high-cost & poor quality country, where no-one gives a shit about anything or anyone, zero culture, high levels of pollution & chaos; everywhere. Everything broken and all about money making. Rant over. Thank you Italy for reminding the world is still a nice place.

Kit

Bike: I took my Pace RC529. A steel frame hardtail, 29’er wheels with 2.35 XC tyres, enduro front end with 140mm Rockshox Pikes & steep seat tube angle. It was the perfect bike for bikepacking the Veneto Trail. A wide range drivetrain to make my uphill life as easy as possible. XC tires are perfect for bikepacking, ‘gravel’ tires are not – I like the comfort of higher volume & added puncture protection – where would be on the brakes and slowing down over long & fast descents for fear of puncturing, I could just let it fly.

Apidura bar bag: Thermarest Vesper UL32, Exped SynMat HL, Montane Prism primaloft smock & additional warm/evening off-bike layers.

Apidura frame pack: personal hygiene ‘stuff’, first aid kit, battery pack, chain lube.

Apidura top tube pack: midge net, head torch, cables/plug socket.

Apidura accessory pack: dehydrated meals x4 & coffee paraphernalia.

Salomon skin 5; 2l water bladder + water filter, day snacks & pump, Inov8 stormshell waterproof.

I ride small frames, so better water storage – for me.

Tools (pliers, multitool, levers, chain tool, needle/thread, tubeless plugs, tyre boot) will be in a Lezyne Flow bottle cage tool holder thingy.

Tailfin: Terra Nova Laser Compact 1, Primus Lite+ stove, bike spares (mech hanger, cleats, gear cable, brake pads etc.), additional base layers, socks & undershorts.

I build & maintain my own bikes, therefore tend to be quite over cautious with tools & spares – not because I don’t trust my handiwork, but because I have it & think I’ll be annoyed if I need it and don’t take it! I also tend to have the same caution in regards to layers; ‘what if’ is that perpetual question that I need to solve as I start to re-enter the world of ultra-distance.