La Sportiva Lavaredo Ultra Trail by UTMB
La Sportiva Lavaredo Ultra Trail by UTMB – Lavaredo 50K
Cortina d’Ampezzo → Cortina
Race guide
Updated 18 July 2026
The La Sportiva Lavaredo Ultra Trail by UTMB – Lavaredo 50K is the middle-distance option in the Lavaredo family, a 50 km loop from and back to Cortina d'Ampezzo with 2438 m of vertical gain and a high point of 2424 m. It threads together some of the most celebrated terrain in the Dolomites, linking Malga Travenanzes, Col Gallina and the emblematic Passo Giau before dropping back to town. This is a serious mountain 50K rather than a fast trail marathon. The climbing is front-and-middle-loaded, the high passes are exposed, and the closing kilometres punish tired legs with a long descent. It suits experienced trail runners who want the full high-Dolomite experience — big passes, big views and honest vertical — in a single day.
The Course: Cortina to the High Passes and Back
The loop starts in Cortina d'Ampezzo at 1211 m and returns to Cortina at 1221 m after 48.8 km. The first long climb takes you from town up to Malga Travenanzes at 17.2 km (1987 m), a sustained gain of nearly 800 m. From there the route stays high, reaching Col Gallina at 24.3 km (2060 m) and then climbing again to Passo Giau at 31.9 km (2245 m), with the course high point of 2424 m on this central section. After Passo Giau the profile turns downward in stages: Rifugio Croda da Lago at 39.5 km (2050 m), a steep drop to Mortisa at 46.8 km (1257 m), and the final short run to the Cortina finish at 1221 m. Underfoot this is genuine Dolomite trail — high alpine paths, rocky pass crossings and technical descent — with the passes offering the exposure and grandeur the range is known for.
Where the Race Is Decided: Col Gallina and Passo Giau
The decisive terrain sits in the middle of the race, on the high traverse from Malga Travenanzes through Col Gallina to Passo Giau. Having already climbed ~780 m to Travenanzes, you continue working across the high ground to Col Gallina (2060 m) and up to Passo Giau (2245 m at 31.9 km), the signature climb of the course and the gateway to the 2424 m high point. Reaching Passo Giau with legs still intact is the single biggest predictor of a strong finish. The sting in the tail is the descent that follows. From Rifugio Croda da Lago (2050 m at 39.5 km) the trail plunges nearly 800 m to Mortisa (1257 m at 46.8 km) in the final third of the race. This is where over-eager pacing on the passes gets exposed — quads that were spent climbing Giau struggle to control a long, steep drop. Manage the middle climbs conservatively and you will still be running when others are walking the descent into Cortina.
Pacing and Fuelling: Reading the Cut-offs
The intermediate cut-offs are Col Gallina at Fri 14:00, Passo Giau at Fri 16:00, and the finish in Cortina at Fri 20:00. That gives a clear internal checkpoint: getting through Passo Giau at 31.9 km comfortably ahead of 16:00 leaves a generous window for the descent-heavy back half. Aid is well spaced through the first two-thirds — Malga Travenanzes (17.2 km), Col Gallina (24.3 km), Passo Giau (31.9 km) and Rifugio Croda da Lago (39.5 km) — but note the longer carry from Croda da Lago to the finish, spanning the big descent to Mortisa. Budget your effort around the two-climb core. Fuel steadily on the long grind to Travenanzes and keep eating across the high traverse, because the passes are no place to fall into a calorie hole. Top up fully at Croda da Lago before the final descent, and carry enough fluid to cover the drop to Mortisa and the last kilometres into town, where checkpoints thin out just as the terrain punishes the most.
Conditions to Expect on the High Ground
With a high point of 2424 m and long sections held above 2000 m at Travenanzes, Col Gallina and Passo Giau, this course spends real time in exposed alpine terrain. Dolomite weather at these altitudes is changeable: sunshine in Cortina can give way to wind, cold or storms on the passes, and the crossings from Travenanzes to Giau offer little shelter if conditions turn. The finish cut-off at 20:00 means most of the race unfolds in daylight, but the high passes stay cold and windswept regardless of the hour. Carry protective layers for the exposed middle section and choose shoes with reliable grip for both the rocky pass crossings and the steep, technical descent to Mortisa. Prepare for mountain conditions on the high ground rather than valley warmth, and the crux central kilometres become far more manageable.
Who This Race Suits
The Lavaredo 50K rewards experienced mountain runners comfortable with big climbs, high-altitude exposure and long technical descents. At 2438 m of gain across 50 km it is a substantial day, and the shape — climb to Travenanzes, traverse to Giau, then a sustained drop to the finish — asks for both climbing endurance and durable quads. It is a natural step up for runners who have handled shorter Dolomite races and want the full high-pass experience, or a strong standalone goal for those drawn to Passo Giau and the scenery around Cortina d'Ampezzo. If you can pace two big central climbs sensibly and still control a long descent late in the race, this course will suit you well.
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Checkpoints & cut-offs
✓ Course data verified against the official source (2026-07-17) · official source
0 km · 1211 m · —
17.2 km · 1987 m · —
24.3 km · 2060 m · Fri 14:00
31.9 km · 2245 m · Fri 16:00
39.5 km · 2050 m · —
46.8 km · 1257 m · —
48.8 km · 1221 m · Fri 20:00
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