Italy · Veneto
Distance
55 km
Date
Entry fee
€95
€ / km
€1.73
The Dolomiti Extreme Trail 55km is the founding distance of Italy's DET festival — running since 2013 from Forno di Zoldo, a mountain village in the UNESCO World Heritage Dolomites. With 3,600m of D+ over 55km (65.5 m/km), it ranks 46th out of 390 European ultras for vertical density — top 12% most demanding. The descents are harsher: average downhill gradient ranks 355th gentlest out of 390, meaning only 35 races in the database have steeper average descents. The biggest single descent drops 851m at a -22.6% average gradient.
Runners loop through scree fields and high alpine passes, cresting Bivacco Grisetti at 2,050m before traversing Passo Staulanza (km 37) and descending steeply back to Forno di Zoldo. The 15-hour cutoff closes at 20:30, with time gates at Passo Duran (km 11.6) and Passo Staulanza (km 37). UTMB-qualifying and ITRA-certified. The 2026 edition sold out, drawing 3,200 runners from 70 nations. Venice airport is 82 minutes by car; public transport is limited and a car is strongly recommended. Entry ran €120 (2.18 €/km) for 2026.
Total Meters
3,600m
D+/KM
65.5m/km
For context, the Tor des Géants 330 loop has 73 D+/km.
Avg Uphill Gradient
14.7%
Avg Downhill Gradient
-16.4%
| 2–5% | 4.5 km | |
|---|---|---|
| 5–10% | 6.5 km | |
| 10–15% | 4.4 km | |
| 15–20% | 3.0 km | |
| 20%+ | 6.1 km |
| 44.5% | Uphill |
|---|---|
| 15.8% | Flat |
| 39.7% | Downhill |
| 1 | 7.6 km · 851 m gain starts km 0 · avg 11.3% · max 47.5% |
|---|---|
| 2 | 2.2 km · 452 m gain starts km 13 · avg 20.9% · max 84.8% |
| 3 | 4.5 km · 435 m gain starts km 22 · avg 9.6% · max 52.3% |
| 1 | 10.2 km · 1,049 m drop starts km 45 · avg -10.3% · max -54.2% |
|---|---|
| 2 | 2.1 km · 469 m drop starts km 15 · avg -22.6% · max -79.1% |
| 3 | 2.8 km · 464 m drop starts km 20 · avg -17.0% · max -54.3% |
Very steep — 3,600m of D+ over 55km (65.5m/km) ranks 46th out of 390 European ultras for vertical density (top 12%). The descents are even more extreme: average downhill gradient ranks 355th out of 390, meaning only 35 races in the database have steeper average descents.
A loop from Forno di Zoldo, climbing to Passo Duran (~km 11.6), cresting Bivacco Grisetti at 2,050m, descending to Malga Grava and Belvedere Refuge (~km 30.5), crossing Passo Staulanza (~km 37), then returning steeply to Forno di Zoldo via a military road descent and 2km of asphalt. Start at 05:30; 15-hour cutoff closing at 20:30.
Yes — the 2026 edition sold out and drew a record 3,200 runners from 70 nations across all DET distances. The 55km has been running since 2013 as the founding distance of the DET festival. Registration for future editions typically fills early.
Yes — the DET 55km is a UTMB Index race, qualifying for UTMB Mont-Blanc. It is also ITRA-certified (ITRA National League) and part of the Europe Trail Cup circuit.
The nearest airports are Venice (VCE) and Treviso (TSF), both approximately 82 minutes by car. Public transport to Forno di Zoldo is very limited — a car is strongly recommended. Accommodation in the mountain villages books out early; reserve well in advance.
Nearest airport
Venice (VCE) / Treviso (TSF)
Notes
Start: ~2–3 hrs (car) / Public transport: Limited; car strongly recommended / Accommodation: Mountain villages; limited inventory—book early
Ibiza Trail Maratón 48 km
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