The start line is on a pedestrian shopping street in a ski resort town at 1,224 metres above sea level. The gun fires at 23:00, which means the runners who will spend the next 14 to 30 hours moving through one of Europe's great mountain landscapes begin by running past restaurants and souvenir shops while the spectators lining Corso Italia shout themselves hoarse in four languages.
Then the lights of Cortina d'Ampezzo fall away, and the darkness takes over, and somewhere in the small hours of Saturday morning the course takes you beneath the Tre Cime di Lavaredo — three pinnacles of Dolomite limestone at 2,999 metres, illuminated by whatever the moon provides, with 70 kilometres of mountain running already in your legs.
This is the La Sportiva Lavaredo Ultra Trail. It is 120 kilometres, 5,800 metres of elevation gain, and a maximum cut-off time of 30 hours. It is part of the UTMB World Series and awards 4 Running Stones — the maximum allocation at this race distance, making it one of the most efficient UTMB qualifier events on the global calendar. It takes place in a UNESCO World Heritage landscape that has no equal in European mountain running.
This guide covers everything you need to plan the attempt.
The Route
The Start: Corso Italia to the High Passes
The 120K begins at 23:00 on Corso Italia in Cortina's town centre. The night start is not a gimmick — it is a timing decision built around placing the race's most spectacular section, the passage beneath the Tre Cime di Lavaredo, in the pre-dawn or dawn hours when the light and the exhaustion combine to produce something that runners describe for years afterward.
The first section exits Cortina to the north, climbing into the Ampezzo Dolomites via technical trails that begin immediately after the edge of town. The elevation gain in the opening section is sustained and significant; athletes who have trained for mountain ultras at lower altitude will feel the difference at Cortina's starting altitude of 1,224 metres, which rises toward 2,000+ metres within the first 15–20 kilometres.
The terrain in this phase is characteristic Dolomite single track: rocky, occasionally exposed, with the towers of the surrounding formations visible against the night sky. The trail is marked and well-maintained. The technical challenge is footing in the dark.
The Sesto Dolomites and the Tre Cime
The course circumnavigates the Sesto Dolomites Natural Park — a protected area of high-alpine terrain on the border between the Veneto and Südtirol regions. This section, which the route reaches in the night hours, contains the race's centrepiece: the passage around and below the Tre Cime di Lavaredo.
The Three Peaks — Cima Grande (2,999m), Cima Occidentale (2,973m), Cima Piccola (2,857m) — are visible from the approach long before you reach them. The trail passes through the rifugio zone at Auronzo, where one of the course's aid stations provides an opportunity to eat, refill, and look up at the silhouettes of the three towers above.
The section beneath the Tre Cime is on a via ferrata approach path — rocky, high-exposure, requiring careful footing at the altitude where the race's highest points occur. Athletes who pass here at dawn, with 70–80 kilometres behind them, frequently describe the combination of exhaustion, altitude, and scenery as something they were not prepared for regardless of how much they had read about it.
Auronzo and the Southern Return
After the Tre Cime, the course descends into the Auronzo basin — a broader valley below the high Sesto peaks where the terrain opens up and pace recovery becomes possible. The 80K race begins its own journey from Val Marzon above Auronzo on Saturday morning; the 120K field has already been through this area.
The southern return to Cortina involves a series of valley crossings and climbing traverses through the Ampezzo basin from the east. This section — technically the back half of the race, from around kilometre 60 onward — is where the race's character settles. The terrain is still demanding. The altitude stays above 1,500 metres for most of the southern return. The cut-offs are real.
The finish is back on Corso Italia. Runners who have been moving for 14 to 30 hours arrive at the same pedestrian street they left, in whatever light the time of day provides, to the kind of welcome that mountain running communities produce when they have been watching a race for a day and a half.
Entry
The Lavaredo 120K requires a valid UTMB 100K or 100M Index at the time of registration. This is the qualifying gateway — you cannot enter without having finished a sufficiently long UTMB-indexed race within the valid window.
Registration takes place through the UTMB World application process at utmb.world. Entry fee runs in the €100–150 range depending on timing (early vs. standard), with mandatory safety equipment verification at bib collection.
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Join ZealZagFollow us on InstagramGetting to Cortina d'Ampezzo
By air: Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE) is the principal gateway, 160km south of Cortina. The drive takes approximately 2h15–2h30 via the A27 motorway and then the SS51 road through the Piave Valley. Innsbruck Airport (INN) in Austria is 180km northwest — useful for northern European connections. Milan Malpensa (MXP) at 330km is feasible for long-haul arrivals with extra travel time.
By train: The closest intercity station is Calalzo di Cadore, approximately 35km from Cortina. The Cortina Express bus service connects Calalzo to Cortina — additional services are often added during race week.
Getting around: Cortina is compact and walkable. The race start/finish, registration, and drop bag areas are all within 15 minutes' walk of most town centre hotels.
Where to Stay
Town centre hotels in Cortina range from budget guesthouses (€80–120/night) to full alpine resort tier (€300+/night). Book six to eight months ahead for race week — the event fills Cortina completely. Misurina, 14km from Cortina at the base of the Tre Cime road, is quieter and slightly more affordable. Auronzo di Cadore (30km east) works for crews accessing the 120K course.
Mandatory Gear
The 120K enforces mandatory equipment at bib collection: - Waterproof jacket (sealed seams, hood, minimum 5,000mm hydrostatic head) - Survival blanket (full-size) - First aid kit (minimum contents per race regulations) - Whistle - Food reserve (minimum 200kcal carried at all times) - Headlamp — primary and backup; the night start requires at least 8 hours of reliable runtime - Mobile phone (charged, race emergency number saved)
Poles are allowed and widely used. The Dolomite terrain rewards pole use for descending as much as climbing. A rock-plate trail shoe is strongly recommended for the via ferrata sections near the Tre Cime.
Training for Lavaredo
The UTMB Index requirement filters for experienced mountain ultra runners. Lavaredo-specific preparation:
Altitude adaptation: The course spends significant time above 2,000 metres. A 10–14 day pre-race altitude camp at 1,500–2,000m meaningfully improves race-day efficiency in the high sections for athletes based at sea level.
Night running practice: The 23:00 start means running technical terrain by headlamp for the first 6–8 hours. Night sessions on rocky trails are non-negotiable preparation.
Back-to-back long runs: Weekly mileage of 100–130km over a 16-week build, with back-to-back long days of 4+ hours each, produces the base the 120K demands.
Descending volume: The Dolomite descents are long and technical. Prioritise trail descending — unloaded quads will begin limiting performance around the 60km mark.
Benchmarks by Power Output
Approximate 120K finish times for context: - Front of field: 14–16 hours - Competitive club runners: 19–23 hours - Well-prepared recreational: 24–28 hours - Cut-off boundary: 30 hours
Local Tips
Eat: Ristorante El Toula near Pocol serves the regional mountain cuisine — polenta with local mushrooms, venison ragù, aged Asiago — worth a proper sit-down before the race. Post-finish, the aperitivo culture on Corso Italia suits the recovery mood.
The day before: Walk the Tre Cime loop by day (9km round trip from Rifugio Auronzo, 2h30 hiking). This serves triple duty as light exercise, altitude preview, and the best possible reminder of why you're here. Arrive at the Rifugio Auronzo car park before 09:00 — it fills fast on summer mornings.
Post-race: The Terme di Pré-Saint-Didier natural thermal waters are two hours west in the Aosta Valley for athletes who can move far enough to drive. Otherwise: hotel pool, prosecco, the Veneto's finest.
Frequently Asked Questions
How competitive is Lavaredo's 120K field? The 4 Running Stones attract serious UTMB-calibre athletes working toward Mont-Blanc qualification, making the front of the field genuinely competitive. The mid-pack and recreational experience is exceptional regardless of the competitive front end.
Can I crew or pace a Lavaredo 120K runner? Crew access is available at designated course points. Pacers are not permitted. Drop bags are allowed at specified aid stations.
What is the best spectator moment in the 120K? The midnight start on Corso Italia (Friday 23:00) is the most accessible. The finish on Corso Italia on Saturday afternoon for the front runners — and Sunday morning for the 30-hour finishers — are both worth being present for.
Is there a shorter qualifying distance for less experienced runners? The 50K (2,600m gain) and 80K (4,600m gain) have different index requirements and are the appropriate entry points for competitive recreational trail runners. The 20K and 10K have no index requirements.
For the opening day atmosphere and this year's event preview, see our Lavaredo 2026 field report. For the other major ultra happening this week, our Western States 100 course guide covers the Sierra Nevada's most famous 100-miler.
