The first hairpin bends begin just outside the town of Caldonazzo and our recommendation is for you to get there after a good warm-up. If you take your car, the Menador climb will seem very steep. By bicycle, on the other hand, it is exactly how a cyclist expects it and desires it: demanding and challenging, and, above all, almost traffic-free. A real gem. To go up while having fun, it is important to keep a regular cadence, without rushing. After the first few climbs, the forest thins out to make room for the rocks and overhangs of Monte Pegolara.
The advice, especially if you plan to tackle the climb for the first time, is not to worry too much about data provided by the bicycle computer. Forget about your stopwatch and pedal focusing on the landscape, enjoying a place that seems timeless. Silence reigns and the sounds of the forest are interrupted only by the sound of breathing and of the wheels slowly rolling on the asphalt.
About half-way up, you will be swallowed by two short tunnels, two holes dug with pickaxes by Alpine troops; then two hairpin bends again, more challenging than the previous ones. One of the last bends overlooks a panoramic area from which to enjoy the view down the valley, giving you the impression that you can dive directly into the lake.