Stelvio Pass

I rode the wonderful Passo Gardena through the Dolomites, west toward the legendary Stelvio Pass, supposedly the best road on earth. It’s something I’ve wanted to see for myself for a long time, but never got round to it, until now.

Is it really the best road on earth? Nope. I’ve ridden half a dozen better roads on this trip alone.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s an incredible piece of engineering and a life-experience worth having, even just to witness an idiot in a Subaru Impreza misjudge the corner, grind his undercarriage along the rock and leave a stream of oil snaking down the tarmac. It’s just not that great a road.

Firstly, the tarmac is in an awful state. Secondly, it’s packed with tourists, boy-racers and hundreds of cyclists weaving all over the place and riding three abreast so nobody can get past.

Lastly, the best road on earth should be fun to ride; Stelvio is just too much hard work to be fun. For me anyway, I know plenty of more expert riders who would laugh and tell me I was a lightweight.

I actually found the Bormio side far more entertaining, with long sweeping bends and a fraction of the traffic. As a spectacle though, it’s definitely worth ticking off the bucket list.

These photographs were taken with my Canon EOS 5D Mark IV and the extraordinary Canon 35 mm f/1.4 L II USM .