Sella Chianzutan – Valle di Preone

Into The Wild: no title could be more apt for this incredible route. You’ll tackle two unforgettable climbs on perfect asphalt surfaces, and most of the route will be entirely free of cars; you’ll see very few residential buildings along the way too. The route begins at “kilometre zero”: as always, the convenient car park in Terme di Arta.

After approximately 11.8 kilometres, we come to the Tolmezzo bridge and turn right to start our first ascent, which will take us to the top of  Sella Chianzutan. Having turned right and begun the climb, 16 km later we’ll arrive in the lovely village of “Villa di Verzegnis”.
From the extraordinary green-roofed bell tower, you’ll see in front of you a splendid valley where the cultivation of apples predominates, along with a surreal silence, broken only by children’s voices from the village’s only nursery school.

Leaving Villa, we cycle a beautiful road, stopping for an obligatory photo at its most scenic point, km 17.5. Some 3 km later, we begin the ascent to Sella Chianzutan (6.4 km, average 7%). We pass through a delightful forest on a road that’s featured in a famous uphill cycling race. For this reason, the road surface is in perfect condition (although this is the case for most of the route). Reaching the top at km 26.6, we begin the descent of some 3 kilometres, then turn right to enter the beautifu Preone valley.

From km 31 onwards, the road is so perfect it’ll seem like a cycleway, with velvet-smooth asphalt and practically non-existent traffic. We’re so close to the river we can hear it on our left as it runs through dense woodland. The woods give way to a broad valley, where you’ll marvel at all the beauty of the Carnic Alps. Having cycled alongside a low natural stone wall, so perfect it looks man-made, take care at km 36.0 with a very steep but extremely beautiful descent towards the village of Preone, where our route continues on cycleways back to Arta Terme.

Distance: 68,2 Km
Elevation gain: + 1057 mt
Max altitude:  956 mt
Min altitude: 298 mt
Max gradient: 12%