Climbs

Legendary Climbs: Tre Cime di Lavaredo

Justin Lee

20 Mar 2026 — 3 min read

October 2023 - Tre Cime di Lavaredo, Dolomites, Italy

Statistics: Tre Cime di Lavaredo from Cortina d'Ampezzo

Length: 22,36 km / 13,90 miles

Elevation Gain: 1360 m / 4461 ft

Average Gradient: 5%

Tre Cime di Lavaredo or Drei Zinnen in German is without a doubt one of the most beautiful climbs in the World. The Italian climb carves its way through the heart of the Dolomites featuring the famous Lake Misurina and the Tre Cime Unesco Heritage Site.

The climb officially starts in Cortina d'Ampezzo and finishes on the back side of the Tre Cime di Lavaredo Unesco Heritage Site. The climb first became famous in the 1967 Giro d'Italia when Felice Gimondi "won" on the Summit of Tre Cime. However, the Stage Honors were quickly taken away from Gimondi when Giro Race Organizers declared the Stage null and void. Tre Cime's first Stage appearance in the Giro was declared void due to the climb being so steep from Lake Misurina that spectators were pushing the riders to the Summit. A year later in 1968 Tre Cime was featured again in the Giro. In '68, Eddie Merckx won on the Tre Cime Stage and secured his first overall victory in the Giro d'Italia. To this day, Merckx says his win on the Tre Cime was one of his best victories in his career.

Views from the top of the Tre Cime di Lavaredo Climb (2373m)

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