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La Thuile and the Aosta Valley: Riding Italy's Alpine Crossroads
The Aosta Valley is Italy's smallest region and one of its least-visited — hemmed in by Mont Blanc, the Matterhorn, and Gran Paradiso, with a UCI World Cup venue at its western end and a Roman city at its base. A practical guide for mountain bikers coming for the race or planning the trip.
By ZealZag TeamBlunk and Boichis Take Short-Track Glory in the Alps at La Thuile XCC
Savilia Blunk and Adrien Boichis emerged from bar-to-bar chaos to win the Elite XCC Short Track at Round 7 of the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series — the only event on the calendar that gathers all four disciplines in one Alpine hub.
By ZealZag Team
Ride La Thuile: Complete Guide to Valle d'Aosta's Alpine Bike Park
La Thuile's UCI World Cup bike park delivers 1,200m of vertical on Europe's steepest natural trail network. Season, travel from Turin, gear, trails, and where to eat in the Italian Alps.
By ZealZag TeamValle d'Aosta by Mountain Bike: La Thuile, Pila, and the Alps Above Aosta
The Italian Alps' longest valley holds some of the most varied alpine mountain biking in Europe — and Round 7 of the UCI MTB World Series in La Thuile this weekend is the best reason to come now.
By ZealZag Team
UCI MTB World Cup La Thuile 2026: Can Goldstone Tame Europe's Steepest DH?
In 48 hours, the UCI Downhill World Cup debuts at La Thuile on the series' steepest course. Jackson Goldstone leads practice. Vali Höll and Gracey Hemstreet battle for the women's lead.
By ZealZag TeamRound 7 Opens in La Thuile: WHOOP UCI MTB World Series Brings Four Disciplines to Valle d'Aosta
The WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series arrives at La Thuile this weekend for the most format-dense event on the calendar — XCO, XCC, Downhill, and Enduro all racing in one Alpine hub, with a night Enduro stage and the season's steepest DH course.
By ZealZag TeamLavaredo 120K: Namberger's Fourth in a Row, Sunmaya Budha Rewrites the Women's Record
Hannes Namberger set a new race record in claiming his fourth consecutive Lavaredo Ultra Trail 120K title, while Sunmaya Budha came from behind to beat Lucy Bartholomew and break the women's course record at the Dolomites' showpiece night-start ultra.
By ZealZag TeamVal di Fassa Enduro: Pugin's Comeback and Botteram's 0.6-Second Miracle
Mélanie Pugin stormed from sixth after day one to win the Val di Fassa Enduro World Cup as Tristan Botteram took the men's title from Tommaso Calonaci by just 0.623 seconds in a single final-stage showdown after weather cut the day's format.
By ZealZag Team
Ride Val di Fassa: The Ultimate Dolomites Enduro Mountain Bike Guide
From Gondola Buffaure to the Catinaccio south face, here is everything you need to plan an epic enduro mountain biking trip to Val di Fassa, Trentino — in the heart of the UNESCO Dolomites.
By ZealZag Team
EWS Val di Fassa 2026: Conolly and Łukasik Dominate Dolomites Enduro
Ella Conolly and Sławomir Łukasik extended their UCI Enduro World Cup series leads with commanding wins in Val di Fassa, Trentino, after two days of blistering racing through the Italian Dolomites.
By ZealZag TeamThe Sella Ronda on Two Wheels: Mountain Biking the Dolomites' Greatest Loop
The Sella Ronda is the most famous circuit in the Dolomites — 52 kilometres of mountain passes ringing the Sella massif, connecting Val di Fassa, Val Gardena, Alta Badia, and Arabba. A guide to riding it by mountain bike (lift-assisted), road bike, or e-bike, staged from the same Canazei that hosts this weekend's UCI Enduro World Cup.
By ZealZag TeamVal di Fassa Enduro Day 1: Three Stages Down, the Dolomites Race Back Into Form
The first race day of UCI Enduro World Cup Round 3 in Val di Fassa ran three stages — Tutti Frutti, 9.90, and Ciasates EWS — across the Dolomite limestone above Canazei. Five hundred riders in the field, warm Italian afternoon, and the provisional results loading as this is filed.
By ZealZag TeamCortina d'Ampezzo: Running the Dolomites Before and After Lavaredo
A destination guide for trail runners arriving in Cortina d'Ampezzo for the Lavaredo Ultra Trail — or coming to run the same terrain on their own schedule. Where to base, what to run, how to get there, and what the Dolomites ask of visitors who want to move through them rather than look at them.
By ZealZag TeamLavaredo Ultra Trail 2026: The 50K Runs, the 120K Loads the Start Line at Midnight
Two races in one day in the Dolomites: the 50K is already out on the course as this is filed, and at 23:00 tonight the 120K field — 120 kilometres, 5,800 metres of gain — rolls from Cortina to reach the Tre Cime di Lavaredo at dawn.
By ZealZag TeamThe Dolomites for Road Cyclists: Italy's Greatest Training Ground, Pass by Pass
The Dolomites pack more significant cycling passes into a driveable area than anywhere else in the Alps. Stelvio, Giau, Pordoi, Fedaia, Mortirolo — these are not interchangeable. Here is what each climb actually demands, when to go, and how to build a week in the mountains without wasting days on logistics.
By ZealZag TeamRace the Route: Val di Fassa and the Fassa Bike District, Trentino
The Dolomites' leading mountain bike destination hosts the UCI Enduro World Cup this weekend. The Fassa Bike District's trails are open to riders year-round. Complete guide to riding Val di Fassa: the Titans trail, TuttiFrutti, cable car access, best season, and where to base in Canazei.
By ZealZag TeamUCI Enduro World Cup Val di Fassa 2026: 500 Riders, Seven Stages, Two Days in the Dolomites
The UCI Enduro World Cup returns to Val di Fassa in the Trentino Dolomites — 59.58km of stages across two race days, famous trails including Titans and TuttiFrutti, 500 athletes from the World Cup and Open fields. Practice opens Thursday. Racing starts Saturday.
By ZealZag TeamRace the Route: Lavaredo 120K Through the UNESCO Dolomites
120km. 5,800m of gain. A night start from Cortina d'Ampezzo and the Tre Cime di Lavaredo at 3 a.m. The definitive guide to planning and running the La Sportiva Lavaredo Ultra Trail — entry, route, gear, travel, and why this is one of the most spectacular ultras in the UTMB World Series.
By ZealZag TeamLavaredo Ultra Trail 2026: The Dolomites Open Their Race Week in Cortina
The Lavaredo Ultra Trail by UTMB opens today in Cortina d'Ampezzo — 2,200 runners across five distances, UNESCO-listed Dolomites terrain, and the 120K flagship launching Friday night from Corso Italia. The race week has begun.
By ZealZag TeamThe Mountains That Made the Giro: Italy's Greatest Race and Its Altitude Obsession
The Giro d'Italia was founded in 1909 and has spent much of the 115 years since testing riders against Italy's most hostile high-altitude terrain. The Stelvio, the Mortirolo, the Zoncolan — these are not just climbs on a race route. They are the reason the Giro is what it is, and why it occupies a different place in cycling's imagination than any other race.
By ZealZag Team
The Price of Wonder
How 170,000 Kilometers on Unconventional Roads Taught Stefano Scapitta What It Means to Have Everything While Possessing Nothing
By ZealZag TeamCycling the Valtellina: Stelvio, Mortirolo, and Gavia from a Sondrio Base
The Italian valley that anchors today's Tour de Suisse Grand Départ is also one of Europe's great cycling destinations — three legendary alpine passes, a 114km lakeside path, and a car-free initiative that closes the major roads to traffic all summer.
By ZealZag TeamTour de Suisse 2026 Opens in Italy: Sondrio Launches the Race's New Era
For the first time in its history, the Tour de Suisse starts on Italian soil — a 144km circuit around Sondrio, in the heart of the Valtellina, with three punishing climbs and the world's best roster since the race was condensed to five days.
By ZealZag Team
Ride the Tour de Suisse Stage 1 Route in Valtellina, Italy
Ride the 144km Adda Valley loop that opened the 2026 Tour de Suisse — Lombard climbing through Sondrio, Buglio in Monte, and the Bordighi ramp where Pogacar made his move.
By ZealZag Team