Maratona Movie: Passo Pordoi – The Bride
Patience and strength are the key characteristics of “The Bride” in Kill Bill, along with the beauty and gracefulness of Uma Thurman.
Patience, because the pursuit of revenge against Bill is long and meticulous. One by one she eliminates the members of the DVAS until the meeting with Bill. Strength (and technique), because the Bride has been trained by the best in the world and knows how to fight like few others. Beauty, because — there’s no need to explain why.
In the Maratona film, Passo Pordoi is the Bride in Kill Bill. A climb that is patient, strong and beautiful like few others. A climb of 9.2 kilometers with 638 meters of elevation gain. Average gradient 6.9%, maximum 10%. The start is from Arabba, and the windy road features many tight switchbacks one after the other. Almost a snake. A Black Mamba, just like the Bride is called.
Pordoi is a patient climb, because it’s steady. It’s one of those climbs that doesn’t seem hard but that can do some serious damage if it’s attacked head on without thinking. Just like a katana fight with the Bride.
Pordoi is a strong climb, because despite the not-extreme gradients it never gives you a moment of respite. Just like the Bride leaves no escape for those who try to stop her in her quest for revenge.
Pordoi is a beautiful climb, because above Arabba a wide valley opens, allowing you to look down and see the twisting road you’ve already come up, and Sass Pordoi, the southernmost peak of the Sella group, is always in view.
It’s a climb that you’ll face very early in the morning, most likely between 7 and 8:30, when you’re still full of energy and the adrenaline of the start. It’s a climb to be enjoyed all in one go without letting yourself get carried away. Find your rhythm, a good cadence, and it will be one of the most beautiful climbs you’ve ever ridden. If you know your power values and heart rate, try not to exceed your threshold. The route is still long — better save some energy for the kilometers still to come.
Pordoi is the climb that, throughout the history of the Giro d’Italia, has most frequently been the Cima Coppi. The pass you’ll ride over, at 2,239 meters, has been the highest point of the corsa rosa 13 times, and it has featured in the race 40 times.
Though many champions are closely linked to this climb, Fausto Coppi is certainly the most representative of Passo Pordoi. The granfondo won’t be the right occasion, but if you happen to be doing a reconnaissance ride in the days beforehand, you’ll be able to visit the monument in his honor that was erected right at the top of the pass.
A patient climb, a strong climb, a beautiful climb. A climb on which you’ll have to play your part in exactly the same way to continue the script of your Maratona dles Dolomites film.
If you want to climb Passo Pordoi with the right soundtrack, here the playlist of Kill Bill vol.1 on Spotify.
Photo credits: Edoardo Civiero, Jered Gruber, Planinschek, Molography