Easy start
Not only the climb up to Stelvio is spectacular – the perfect cycling roads in Val d'Adige through apple trees and along the Etsch river from Mals to Prato make a perfect easy warm up.
Ascent
The first vertical meters are easy. But reaching hairpin number 32 of 48 (they numbered them in descending order!) after almost 1.5 hours of riding uphill is a bit scary…
Reaching the top
Uff, that was a tough one. Three hours after leaving Mals we eventually reached the top. Overtaken just by thousands of motor bikers (who we all met again drinking beer on the top)… and a few fitter cyclists as well, to be honest ;)
Descent
You might also call it an escape from the crowd and coldness on top. On the way down we crossed the almost empty and probably more beautiful Passo Umbrail on our way back to Mals.