Monte Zoncolan
Monte Zoncolan is a relatively new player in Italy’s Giro d’Italia, joining the Grand Tour’s catalogue of climbs that can smash open the race. The climb is located in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region in the far north-east of Italy. While there are a couple of routes up, the most used is the climb from Ovaro.
This is possibly the hardest climb I have ever seen!
This climb is 10.5kms long and is sure to leave a scar on your psyche. We roll out of town at about 8%, and immediately you know this will be tough. Very quickly it is north of 11% and you think of a cold beer back in Ovara, rather than the climb ahead. but the road backs right off as we roll through Liariis. However this is going to get scary steep very quickly.
This is getting serious now
We roll out of Liariis, and bang the road ramps to about 17%. Yes you read that correctly. We reach the start of our switchbacks for the day. Much like its equal in Spain, L’Angliru’, the switchbacks are often steeper than the rest of the road. There really is very little respite and little chance for a drink. Your legs are seriously crying for mercy as we hit.
Why would you build there? The ride home would be a killer!
Unfortunately, we are still in the woods, so the views are not there to distract you. Just the odd little residence, which has you thinking, ‘Why would you build there? The ride home would be a killer!’ We pass halfway and now this gets serious. The next 600m or so is nothing short of agonising. Try more than 20% ave for starters. Be happy in the knowledge that things get easier after this section.
The gradients drop back to a more manageable 12%-13%. It feels decidedly more easy than the 12-13% we had before that steep section. The road seriously narrows as we welcome a 6%-7% ‘false flat’, and know its not far to go.
We can see the top.
From here you get the sense that the summit is near. This road looks like it goes to nowhere, when we meet a tunnel. This is the first of three tunnels and I’m glad I popped on the front light cos this one is a little long, not lit and quite dark. You get the sense of a summit finish is coming very soon. Images of Chris Froome, Ivan Basso and of course Aussie Michael Rogers, flood your mind. There are a couple more sharp pinches in this last kilometre so don’t expect a sprint finish as we hit the summit.
This is a real achievement to climb the likes of Zoncolan. It has few equals around the world.
