Zoncolan: "Not a road for road racing"

Sitting on the side of the road
Photo: © Norbert Niederacher

A sports journalist in Austria, Norbert Niederacher has climbed most of the big climbs of the Giro. Gavia, Stelvio, Pordoi, Sella, Mortirolo, Jaufen, he has ridden them all. However, after reading in Gazzetta dello Sport that professional riders such as Simoni think that Monte Zoncolan is the toughest climb, he wanted to tackle that mountain himself.

After a short ride to warm up our legs, we started to climb in Sutrio. It starts tough, the road goes up and up, and there is no place to rest. After 10 kilometres and 11 hairpins, we arrived at "Bivio Parcheggi" - the big parking lot of the local ski station. Up until this point it was a really hard climb, but not terrible as I have heard.

On the way up
Photo: © Norbert Niederacher

However, the worst was still to come. The official road finishes at the parking lot, but there is a road within the ski-area. We cannot believe that the Giro will go up this road. It is a very small, very dirty road; and it is so steep! It starts at around a 10 percent gradient. After a few hundred meters, it gets even harder, pushing 20 percent. There is never a chance to relax; the climb is between 9 percent and 23 percent for the entire climb. I have 38/27 chainrings, and I have to give everything I have to continue climbing.

I would much prefer to ride a mountain bike on this climb; this is not a road for road racing. After three kilometres, we stand at the top! I cannot believe that this will be a stage finish of the Giro d'Itala. The top? Only 25 square meters of it is flat.

Finally
Photo: © Norbert Niederacher

After finishing the climb, I hope that the riders will think about using a triple chainwheel as is found on the mountain bikes. Climbers such as Simoni or Pantani will probably use a 39/27; who knows, maybe some will put triples on their bikes.

Giro Stage 12 profile

Photos

Images by Norbert Niederacher/www.dynamotirol.at

• I didn't paint it, it was there when I got here
• The view from half way up
• Help! I'm rolling backwards
• It isn't hurting that much yet
• That section was a steep one
• Only 13 percent, just a gravel road
• Quick, take a photo before we pass out
• We made it. Now where is the helicopter ride home?
• I think it says something about a bike race near here

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