ALWAYS PEDAL ON THE RIDGE: THE HIGH-ALTITUDE CROSSING ALONG PASSO PALADE AND PASSO MENDOLA
From the spectacular green peaks of the Maddalene group, the second stage leads to the steep rocky walls of the Mendola ridge. The character of the Tour de Non changes radically; this stage is definitely more alpine and consequently more solitary compared to the previous day. The trails become wilder and exposed, the huts sparse with few stopping options, forcing precise planning of the stage and timing.
The section from Senale through Passo Palade up to the heights of the Mendola ridge presents additional difficulties. The climbs unfold over stretches where the trail surface is often at the limit of pedalability, forcing riders to dismount at points. A strong sense of orientation is also useful to identify sometimes faint trails. However, the effort is rewarded by overdose of panoramas, a succession of perfect photo opportunities: fairy-tale forests, elegant larch woods, solitary alpine lakes, vertical rock faces, root games on the trails, and dizzying views into the void that are unforgettable in the biker’s memory album. Not to forget the six trails that always stimulate bikers’ adrenaline: the extraordinary and technical single trails “Cresta del Macaion” and “Sentiero dei Siori”.
A hard ride of just under 40 kilometers can more than fill a day, as you realize upon arriving at the hut in the evening, when completely exhausted you barely have the strength to devour a delicious local dish with a quarter liter of wine before collapsing into a well-deserved deep sleep.
3 reasons not to miss the stage:
1. The secret single trail on the ridge from Monte Macaion towards Regole di Malosco
2. The spectacular view from the summit of Monte Macaion, a balcony above Merano and Bolzano
3. A night at altitude at the foot of the steep walls of Monte Roen
