Car-free Day in Corvara

June 7, 2025

Sella Ronda Day

Sella Ronda day is a special day on the calendar for many cycling enthusiasts. It’s the day (there are actually two days per year) when cars and motorcycles are banned from the roadways that form a ring around the Dolomite mountain formation, the Sella Ronda. The ride is a 53k loop with four mountain summits, and there is no admission fee. Riders can start their ride any time they like and from any point along the route. Cars and motos are banned from 8:30. - 4:00 pm. For those interested in stats, they are listed at this website.

We learned about Sella Ronda day from reading journals here on Cycleblaze and it is one of the reasons we chose to come to the Dolomites this year. We have booked four nights in Corvara just to ensure we would have the chance to ride it, in case of poor weather. Fortunately, it turned out to be perfect weather for mountain cycling today, a mix of sun and cloud, and little to no wind except for one of the summits.

As I’m writing, Sella Ronda Day, 19th edition is now history. The crowds of cyclists were well-behaved for the most part. It was a very fit group of people, in general, and a grand time was had. What impressed us is how low-key and grass-roots this event is. No big sponsors flogging their brands or their wares. Just local businesses taking the opportunity to make the experience even better for the participants. It’s so refreshing to see this.

It will come as a surprise, but David rode the event without me. Yes! There’s a back story here. I have been noticing for a few days that I am not getting the results I normally would for the amount of effort I’m putting in, as I am cycling uphill. I’m able to find a steady state, but the exertion far exceeds what’s normal for me. This morning, we both started out together and I soon knew it was not the right thing for me. I should be able to slowly ride and still be able to talk, but I knew that wasn’t in the cards. My body needs to rest. So, that’s what it will get. We will take it slowly and see how things go. There are always alternative ways to get around.

I wished David a good ride and saw him off, riding back down the hill to the hotel. I was disappointed but I am ok with it. He had a fantastic ride and thoroughly enjoyed himself. I went for a walk in the woods up to a nearby village and checked in with him throughout the day, using Whatsapp.

This is such a photogenic place that we have no shortage of photos. I will begin with a few of mine, taken on my walk.

All set to go on an epic adventure, well, for one of us anyway.

This native clematis was a surprise to find along my walk,

Geum, with a beautiful mountain backdrop.

An all time favourite, the relatively rare, yellow violets.

Marsh marigolds grow wherever the soil is really wet, namely along creeks and marshy areas.

A new flower for me.. round headed rampion.

Another new flower, shrubby milkwort (polygaloides chamaebuxus).

Same plant, nearby. This is further along in flowering.

Yet another colour variation of shrubby milkwort..

A type of globe flower? It’s a petite type, different that the others I’ve seen here.

Something in the aster family. There are so many look-alikes, it’s hard to identify.

That’s a lot of flowers, and there were even more. I walked up to the top of the village past this corral of ungulates, being guarded from wolves by several dogs. You don’t mess with these working dogs. They mean business.

The trail went past these noisy grazers. Can you spot the guard dogs?

These meadows of flowers and grasses are important ecosystems unto themselves.

Plenty of water rushing off the mountains.

Looking across Corvara at the roads coming down from the passes.

Now, on to the exciting part of the day. Here are David’s photos of today’s epic ride and a few that I took. From our estimation, about one third of the bikes were e-bikes, although it is getting harder to discern the difference at a glance.

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Today's ride: 53 km (33 miles)
Total: 539 km (335 miles)

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Patty BarronWhat a truly eventful day of riding, & viewing botanicals, both at their best! Amazing on both counts! 💕
Pics from both are truly stunning 😍
Sending hugs to you both, P&T
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5 days ago

Patrick O'HaraKudos Dave!
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5 days ago

Jacquie GaudetI hope you, Anne, get your energy back soon so you can ride the circuit another day.
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5 days ago

Anne AnastasiouCongratulations David. What a ride. So glad you had a good day for it. Sorry you didn't feel up to it Anne but good for you for listening to your body. I'm glad you enjoyed a nice day with the flowers. 🥰
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5 days ago

Kirsten KaarsooSorry you weren’t feeling up to riding and well done David. Hopefully another time for you Anne. It is a stunning ride. It looks like you had a lovely day weather wise.
Thanks for all the great flower photos Anne. I saw many of the same ones but didn’t take the time to take photos. I appreciate you pausing, recording and identifying them.
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4 days ago

Anne MathersTo Patty BarronThank you, Patty. We are in awe at the experiences we are having. Sending big hugs back at you, and thinking of you both.
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4 days ago

Anne MathersTo Kirsten KaarsooJust re-read your Sella Ronda day, Kirsten. Chapeau’s to both of you! There’s not a single person who doesn’t beam when they tell us they did the ride. And, I am so happy that David did it! He loved it. We are just two weeks behind you, so the snow that fell in the high mountains is all gone. Restaurants are starting to open, too. Timing is everything when planning a trip to the Dolomites, I’d say.
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4 days ago

Anne MathersTo Jacquie GaudetThanks, Jacquie. I’ll have to stick with the videos and my impressions of this incredible landscape. Sweet memories all around.
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4 days ago

Anne MathersTo Anne AnastasiouOh, my, the flowers are heavenly. The meadows that blanket all the hillsides and are just insanely beautiful. As a flower geek, it’s a thrill every time a new flower pops into view.
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4 days ago