Roadbike - Legendary Climbs - Menador
Race cycling
Roadbike - Legendary Climbs - Menador
Looking from afar, the side of the mountain seems wounded; approaching, you discover that through those gaps passes one of the most beautiful and representative roads of the morphology and history of Trentino.
<p>The Menador road at Vezzena pass tells tales of effort and war. Built by the Austrians, it is also called the Kaiserjäger road.</p> <p>From Caldonazzo, in Valsugana, it led to the fortifications of Lavarone and Vezzena and was strategic in defending the valley and the city of Trento during the Great War. It is a climb that is not particularly long, just over 8 kilometers, but must be tackled with caution.</p> <p>The gradient is always above 9 percent and in some sections approaches 13. From the start, pedaling is demanding. The forest and coolness help to get used to the effort, but the relief is short-lived. A narrow strip of asphalt twists around white stone cliffs with two short tunnels that recall the ingenuity of man in its construction. Below, the valley shows its full beauty.</p> <p>At the Belvedere hairpin, a stop is mandatory. The lakes of Caldonazzo and Levico, with the small towns, appear as a mosaic of soft colors. A location that was already discovered as a tourist destination in the times of the Danube Empire. After 8 kilometers and 200 meters, you reach the summit. The road flattens out and leads to a junction that goes in other directions. We are in the land of the Cimbri, the German-speaking island that has survived over the centuries. The bicycle has entered history.</p> <p>The route was chosen as the final climb of one of the last stages of the Giro D'Italia 2022.</p>
