Killing Monte Zoncolan and Giro d'Italia 2012 video

See the photo and video collage from Giro d'Italia 2012 final week and our climb to Monte Zoncolan!

Thanks to Jussi Veikkanen!!!

Team Zoncolan would like to express our warmest thanks to Jussi Veikkanen for the bottles he gave us at Alpe di Pampeago and Passo dello Stelvio.

Jussi is one of the greatest Monte Zoncolan killers ever!!!

The bottle in the picture is from the Passo dello Stelvio (about 3.2km before finish line).

Status of the 1000 € bet

Check the results here!

High five with 2012 Giro d'Italia hero Ryder Hesjedal

Team Zoncolan gave a high five with Ryder Hesjedal at Piazza Duomo in Milano.

Ryder Hesjedal in Passo Dello Stelvio 2012

Monte Zoncolan conquered!

Monte Zoncolan monument (photo: Team Zoncolan)

Our Team is back home. 

The inhuman climb was as expected. Terrible. Difficult. Steep. Long.

All members of the Team Zoncolan made the beasty climb. The 1.000 € bet ended as a draw. At least we did it. Read more later on - did we kill the mountain or not?

Sorry we could not update these pages during our trip. 






More text, photos, and video from Italy will follow soon. Great material coming, e.g. high five with 2012 Giro d'Italia hero Ryder Hesjedal.

Passo dello Stelvio, photo towards Bormio (photo: Team Zoncolan)

Joni Z and the last metres of the Monte Zoncolan ascent (photo: Team Zoncolan)

noname support Team Zoncolan with bike clothes

noname will this year launch a new fully comprehensive range of clothing for cycling. As part of this, the Team Zoncolan will test noname's new clothing line in one of the toughest ascents of the Giro d'Italia usually pass. Team Zoncolan consists of older (what, only mature?) men in the prime (what?) of life, who shall cycle up this tough climb. To be able to ride up this murderous hill really you can call physical activity!
noname's cycling apparel will certainly be subjected to rigorous testing in this project!
See more about noname here: http://www.nonamesport.com/en/news
Photos of men in tight pink will follow!

Greatest cycling climbs #15 Alpe d'Huez (PART 2/2)

In this second part of the article, we mainly present some interesting background data from the legendary Alpe d'Huez.

Photo: Martti Häkkinen

<<< Tour de France 2011: Ryder Hesjedal (CAN, in front) and Pierre Rolland (FRA) took the big points in Maillot Vert -competition in Le Bourg d'Oissans, just before heading up the climb to the finish at Alpe d'Huez

Surprisingly, Team Europcar's Rolland took the great honour of last years Alpe victory. The fastest man on the ascent was Samuel Sanchex (ESP) with 41'21".

Something has changed since Marco Pantani's fastest time in 1977: 37'35". It's up to you to decide - what could that be? ;-)








Winners of Alpe d'Huez

1952 Fausto Coppi (ITA
1976 Joop Zoetemelk (NED)
1977 Hennie Kuiper (NED)
1978 Hennie Kuiper (NED)
1979 Joachim Agostinho (POR, 1st climb)
1979 Joop Zoetemelk (NED, 2nd climb)
1981 Peter Winnen (NED)
1982 Beat Breu (SUI)
1983 Peter Winnen (NED)
1984 Luis Herrera (COL)
1986 Bernard Hinault FRA)
1987 Federico Echave (ESP)
1988 Steven Rooks (NED)
1989 Gert-Jan Theunisse (NED)
1990 Gianni Bugno (ITA)
1991 Gianni Bugno (ITA)
1992 Andrew Hampsten (USA)
1994 Roberto Conti (ITA)
1995 Marco Pantani (ITA)
1997 Marco Pantani (ITA)
1999 Giuseppe Guerini (ITA)
2001 Lance Armstrong (USA)
2003 Iban Mayo (ESP)
2004 Lance Armstrong (USA)
2006 Frank Schleck (LUX)
2008 Carlos Sastre (ESP)
2011 Pierre Rolland (FRA)

The Grand Stars of Alpe d'Huez - with two victories each: Hennie Kuiper, Joop Zoetemelk, Peter Winnen, Gianni Bugno, Marco Pantani, and Lance Armstrong. Great Respect from the Team Zoncolan!


Alpe d'Huez highlights

1952: Jean Robic attacked at the start of the climb and only Fausto Coppi could stay with him. The two climbed together until Coppi attacked at bend five, four kilometres from the top. Il Campionissimo won the stage, the yellow jersey and the Tour.

1977: Lucien Van Impe, a Belgian rider leading the climbers' competition, broke clear on the Col du Glandon. He gained enough time to threaten the leader, Bernard Thévenet. He was still clear on the Alpe d'Huez when a car drove into him. The time that Van Impe waited for another wheel was enough to keep Thévenet in the lead by eight seconds.

1978: Another Belgian leading the mountains race also came close to taking the yellow jersey. Michel Pollentier also finished alone, but he was caught soon afterwards defrauding a drugs control and was disqualified.

1984: The Tour invited amateurs to take part in the 1980's. The best was Luis "Lucho" Herrera, who lived at 2000 m altitude in Colombia. None of the professionals could follow him. He won alone to the cacophony of broadcasters who had arrived to report his progress.

1986: Bernard Hinault said he would help Greg LeMond win the Tour but appeared to ride otherwise. The two crossed the line arm in arm in an apparent sign of truce.

1997: Marco Pantani, who won on the Alpe d'Huez two years earlier, attacked three times and only Jan Ullrich could match him. He lasted until 10 km from the summit and Pantani rode on alone to win in what is often quoted as record speed (see below).

2001: Lance Armstrong feigned vulnerability earlier in the stage, appearing to be having an off-day. At the bottom of the Alpe d'Huez climb, Armstrong moved to the front of the lead group of riders and then looked back at Jan Ullrich, his main rival for the Maillot Jaune  that year, seeming to challenge him to follow Armstrong up the climb. Seeing no response from Ullrich, Armstrong accelerated away from the field to claim the victory, 1'59" ahead of Ullrich.


Climbing times, Alpe d'Huez

The climb has been timed since 1994 so earlier times are subject to discussion. From 1994 to 1997 the climb was timed from 14.5 km from the finish. Since 1999 photo-finish has been used from 14 km. Other times have been taken 13.8 km from the summit, which is the start of the climb. Others have been taken from the junction 700 m from the start.

These variations have led to a debate. Pantani's 37'35 has been cited by Procycling and World Cycling Productions, publisher of Tour de France DVDs, and by Cycle Sport. In a biography of Pantani, Matt Rendell notes Pantani at: 1994 – 38'00"; 1995 – 38'04"; and 1997 – 37'35". The Alpe Tourist Association describes the climb as 14.454 m and lists Pantani's 37'35" (23.08 km/h) as the record.

Other sources give Pantani's times from 1994, 1995 and 1997 as the fastest, based on timings adjusted for the 13.8 km. Such sources list Pantani's time in 1995 as the record at 36'40". In Blazing Saddles, Rendell has changed his view and listed it as 36'50" as does CyclingNews. Second, third, and fourth fastest are Pantani in 1997 (36'45), Pantani in 1994 (37'15) and Jan Ullrich in 1997 (37'30). Armstrong's time in 2004 (37'36) makes him fifth fastest, highlighting fow the 1990's had faster ascents than other eras.

A number of cycling publications cite times prior to 1994, although distances are typically not included, making comparisons difficult. Coppi has been listed with 45'22" for 1952.

In the 1980's Gert-Jan Theunisse, Pedro Delgado, Lucho Herrera, and Laurent Fignon rode in times stated to be faster than Coppi's, but still not breaking 40m. Greg Lemond and Bernard Hinault have been reported as having the times of 48'00" in 1986.

It was not until Gianni Bugno and Miguel Indurain in 1991, that times faster than 40' were reported, including in the 39' range for Bjarne Riis in 1995 and Richard Virenque in 1997. For 2006, Floyd Landis was listed at 38'34" and Andreas Kloden at 38'35. Procycling listed Fränk Schleck in 2006 as 40'46", the first in more than 40 minutes since 1994. The increased speed in the 1990s had been attributed to erythropoietin or EPO. Riders with sub-40' times, such as Alex Zülle, Riis, and Virenque, have admitted using such products. Landis subsequently had a positive drugs test. There is evidence that Pantani took EPO, while Armstrong remains the subject of an ongoing doping investigation.


The ten best times and some interesting times, Alpe d'Huez
(14.454 m, Alpe Tourist Associastion)

1.   37'35" Marco Pantani 1997 ITA
2.   37'36" Lance Armstrong 2004 USA (*)
3.   38'00" Marco Pantani 1994 ITA
4.   38'01" Lance Armstrong 2001 USA
5.   38'04" Marco Pantani 1995 ITA
6.   38'23" Jan Ullrich 1997 GER
7.   38'34" Floyd Landis 2006 USA
8.   38'35" Andreas Klöden 2006 GER
9.   38'37" Jan Ullrich 2004 GER (*)
10. 39'02" Richard Virenque 1997 FRA
x    39'28" Miguel Induráin 1995 ESP
x    39'30" Bjarne Riis 1995 DEN
x    39'44" Gianni Bugno 1991 ITA
x    41'21" Samuel Sánchez 2011 ESP
x    41'57" Pierre Rolland 2011 FRA
x    42'15" Pedro Delgado 1989 ESP
x    45'22" Fausto Coppi 1952 ITA
x    48'00" Bernard Hinault 1986 FRA
x    48'00" Greg Lemond 1986 USA
(*) The 2004 stage was an individual time trial.




http://www.alpedhuez.com/ete/en/553/cycling.html

Each summer day, an average of 400 cyclists snake around the 21 legendary bends of the road to Alpe d'Huez. Every Thursday, the tourist offices in Bourg d’Oisans and Alpe d’Huez organise a timed ascent of the 21 bends. On average, there are around 70 participants that take part each week (at 10 a.m from mid June to mid September). The starting line is situated in front of the EDF building, 900 m after the  Grenoble-Briançon roundabout right out of Bourg d’Oisans. After the last roundabout, on your left, the last 900 m of the Avenue du Rif-Nel stretches out in front of you. The finish is at the end of the avenue.

Also see the PART 1 of this article from here. 

Check our articles from other great road cycling climbs here!

(source: Wikipedia)

Greatest cycling climbs #15 Alpe d'Huez (PART 1/2)

The 21 Alpe d'Huez hairpins
(from Wikipedia)

INCLUDING VIDEO FROM THE DUTCH CORNER!


ALPE D'HUEZ

Location: Rhone-Alpes, France
Altitude: 1815 m
Lenght of the climb: 14.454 m
Height difference: 1071 m
Average gradient: 7.9 %
Maximum gradient: 14.0 %
Hairpins: 21 (the holy number of Alpe d'Huez)

Yet one of the most famous mountain climbs on the Tour de France, the Alpe d'Huez  is certainly not the toughest one. The Tour de France first finished a stage on Alpe d'Huez in 1952. The climb has hairpin bends marked with panels honouring the winners of each stage that has finished there. There were too many when the race made the 22nd climb in 2001 so naming restarted at the bottom with Lance Armstrong's name added to Coppi's.

The Alpe d'Huez is situated in Rhone-Alpes and belongs to the Alps. Starting from Bourg d'Oisans, the Alpe d'Huez ascent is 14.454 m long. Over this distance, you climb 1071 heightmeters. The average percentage is thus 7.9 %.

Alpe d'Huez and Tour de France

The Alpe d'Huez is one of the legendary ascents in the Tour de France. It has figured as a stage finish almost every year since 1976, although absent from the route in both 2009 and 2010, the first time since 1976 that it has missed two consecutive years. It is a favourite on all Tour de France anniversary years.

The first time Alpe d'Huez was included in the Tour was in 1952, won by Fausto Coppi. The race was brought to the mountain by Élie Wermelinger, the chief commissaire or referee. He drove his Dyna-Panhard car between snow banks that lined the road in March 1952, invited by a consortium of businesses who had
opened hotels at the summit. Their leader was Georges Rajon, who ran the Hotel Christina. The ski station there opened in 1936. Wermelinger reported to the organiser, Jacques Goddet, and the Tour signed a contract with the businessmen to include the Alpe. It cost them the modern equivalent of € 3.250.

In 1952, Coppi attacked 6 kilometres from the summit to rid himself of the French rider, Jean Robic. He turned the Alpe d'Huez into an instant legend because this was the year that motorcycle television crews first came to the Tour de France. It was also the Tour's first mountain-top finish. After 1952 and Fausto Coppi, however, the Alpe d'Huez was dropped until 1964 and then again until 1976.

The veteran reporter, Jacques Augendre, said: "The Tourmalet, the Galibier and the Izoard were the mythical mountains of the race. These three cols were supplante by the Alpe d'Huez. Why? Because it's the col of modernity. Coppi's victory in 1952 was the symbol of a golden age of cycling, that of champions [such as] Coppi, Bartali, Kubler, Koblet, and Bobet. But only Coppi and Armstrong have been able to take the Maillot Jaune on the Alpe and to keep it to Paris."

That's not by chance. From the first edition, no other stage has had such drama. With its 21 bends, it's gradient and the number of spectators, it is a climb in the style of Hollywood. The veteran reporter should have included the name Fignon along with Coppi and Armstrong. Laurent Fignon took yellow on the Alpe - without winning the stage - in 1983, 1984, and 1989. He held it into Paris in 1983 and 1984 but in 1989 he lost it on the final stage to Paris, a time trial, to Greg LeMond to finish second by 8 seconds, the closest finish in the Tour de France history ever.

French journalist and L'Equipe sportswriter Jean-Paul Vespini wrote a book about Alpe d'Huez and its role in the Tour de France: "The Tour Is Won on the Alpe: Alpe d'Huez and the Classic Battles of the Tour de France".



 Alpe d'Huez profile (from: climbbybike.com)


Alpe d'Huez and spectators

The Alpe d'Huez has chaotic crowds of spectators. In 1999, Giuseppe Guerini won despite being knocked off by a spectator who stepped into his path to take a photograph. The 2004 individual time trial became chaotic when fans pushed riders toward the top. Attendance figures on the mountain have to be treated with caution. A million spectators were claimed to be there in 1997. Eric Muller, the mayor of Alpe d'Huez, however, said there were 350.000 in 2001, four years later despite acceptance that the number rises every year. "We expect more than 400.000 people for the centenary race in 2003", he said.

The Dutch Corner, Tour de France 2011.
(photo: Touho Häkkinen)

The Dutch Mountain

The Alpe d'Hues is called the "Dutch Mountain", baceuse a Dutchman won eight of the first 14 finishes.However, the Dutch have won none of the last 13 stages, however; six have been won by Italians, three by Americans, twice by Spaniards, one by Fränk Schleck of Luxembourg, and the most recent in 2011 by French cyclist Pierre Rolland.






The writer Geoffrey Nicholson said: "The attraction of opposites draws them [Dutch spectators] from the Low Countries to the Alps each summer in any case. But all winter in the Netherlands coach companies offer two or three nights at Alpe d'Huez as a special feature of their alpine tours. And those Dutch families who don't come by coach, park their campers and pitch their tents along the narrow ledges beside the road like sea-birds nesting at St Kilda. The Dutch haven't adopted the Alpe d'Huez simply because it is sunny and agreeable, or even because the modern, funnel-shaped church, Notre Dame des Neiges, has a Dutch priest, Father Reuten (until a few years ago, it was used as a press room and was probably the only church in France where, for one day at least, there were ashtrays in the nave and a bar in the vestry, or where an organist was once asked to leave because he was disturbing the writers' concentration). No, what draws the Dutch to Alpe d'Huez is the remarkable run of success their riders have had there."

See the video from the Dutch Corner 2011; the crowd celebrating 4 hours before the Tour stage leaders are cycling up the mountain! (video: Mr Touho "Martti" Häkkinen and Hevoskuuri)

 

Check here: Greatest cycling climbs #15 Alpe d'Huez (PART 2/2)
(with all winners, significant Alpe d'Hues stages, and climbing times)

See our articles from other great road cycling climbs here!

Greatest cycling climbs #14 Col du Tourmalet

(photo: Touho Häkkinen)

Location: Hautes Pyrenees, France
Altitude: 2115 m
Length from Luz-Saint-Sauveur (west side): 19.000 m
Height difference: 1404 m
Average gradient: 7.4 %
Maximum gradient: 10.2 %





Col du Tourmalet is the highest paved road in the central Pyrenees in the department of Hautes-Pyrénées in France. At the col is a memorial to Jacques Goddet, director of the Tour de France from 1936 to 1987, and a large statue of Octave Lapize gasping for air as he struggles to make the climb.

Many people think Col du Tourmalet is the "climb of all climbs" from the Tour de France: more Tours have been won on Tourmalet alone than on any other climb. Although it's name alone is legendary, the challenge of the actual climb is as real as the scenery is spectacular. Each kilometer is marked by the distance to the summit and the average gradient of the next kilometer.

• The western side from Luz-Saint-Sauveur the climb is 19 km long, climbing 1404 m at an average gradient of 7.4 % and with a maximum gradient of 10.2 % near the summit. 
• From the east, from Sainte-Marie-de-Campan, the climb is 17.2 km, gaining 1268 m, an average gradient 7.4 % and with a maximum gradient of 10.0 %. The ski station of La Mongie is about 4.5 kilometres from the top.

From the pass there is a track which leads to the Pic du Midi de Bigorre observatory (2877 m). Sainte-Marie-de-Campan is at the foot on the eastern side and the ski station La Mongie two-thirds of the way up.

What is the meaning of Col du Tourmalet?

Some Frenchmen believe that Tourmalet translates into "bad trip" or "bad detour" because in French Tour translates into "trip" and mal translates into "bad". However, the correct language to translate from is Gascon, and not French, because of the mountain's location in the Gascony-region. The "du" in the name is the Gascon pendant to the French "de". Tour becomes "distance", which is spelled "tur" but pronounced "tour"; mal is translated into "mountain"; and et becomes "the". The translation from Gascon to English then becomes "The Distance Mountain".

Col du Tourmalet history

The Pyrenees were included in the Tour de France in 1910 at the insistence of Alphonse Steinès, a colleague of the organiser, Henri Desgrange.

The Col du Tourmalet is one of the most famous climbs on the Tour de France. It has been included in the race more often than any other pass, starting in 1910, when the Pyrenees were introduced.

The first rider over the Tourmalet was Octave Lapize, who went on to claim the yellow jersey in Paris. In 1913, Eugène Christophe broke his fork on the Tourmalet and repaired it himself at a forge in Sainte-Marie-de-Campan.

After the 2011 edition of the Tour de France, the summit has now been crossed 76 times in the Tour de France's history. Since 1947, the Tour has crossed the summit 48 times, plus a stage finish at the summit in 1974. There have also been three finishes at La Mongie. Since 1980 it has been ranked Hors Catégorie, or exceptional. The Vuelta a España has also crossed the pass several times!

Tour de France 2010 and the Look from Andy Schleck

The 2010 edition of the Tour included the pass on two consecutive stages, crossing westward on the 16th stage to Pau and eastward on the 17th stage with a finish at the summit. This Tourmalet ascent fight Schleck vs. Contador was the great moment in the Tour de France 2010. In that race Contador won, but after doping test and cord cases Andy Schleck became the great final overall winner of the Tour de France 2010.

Andy Schleck is  pushing but Contador will not give up.
(photo: Touho Häkkinen)

Andy Schleck (LUX) had lost his overall lead to Alberto Contador Velasco (ESP). That was the story when Andy's chain broke.

Soon after passing Luz-Saint-Sauveur and heading to the stage finish on the top of the Col du Tourmalet, Andy made his move. From the entire World elite, only Alberto could follow. This was the moment of pain and truth, July 22nd 2010. Two of the greatest cyclists head-to-head on one of the greatest mountains, Col du Tourmalet!

The Andy Look. Nothing helps, Alberto is still there.
(photo: Touho Häkkinen)

Nothing helped, the strong Spanyard was sitting there despite Schleck's attacks. Schleck won the stage and Contador won the Tour. The spectators on the windy, rainy, foggy, and cold Tourmalet had proved one of the legendary fights in the history of professional road cycling.

However, in February 2012, Contador lost this Tour de France 2010 victory as well as the victory in Giro d'Italia in 2011, all this after the retroactive clenbuterol-case decision from the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).




The Col du Tourmalet profile (from west)

The profile of the ascent from west, Luz-Saint-Sauveur.
(graph: climbbybike.com)

Col du Tourmalet and Team Zoncolan, not a long success story

Not easy. As expected. Day 22.7.2010.
(photo: Touho Häkkinen)

Oopee Z cycled Tourmalet from Luz-Saint-sauveur on 22.7.2010. The Big Boys came up some hours later.

"That was perfect bad weather: very cold, very rainy, and very foggy. Already rolling down from the autocamper was a pain, the brakes did not work in the rain and the hands were freezing. Tourmalet is the legend. I probably thought this would be the final ascent to climb. What can I say? It is a pretty serious uphill. But that time I did not know about Monte Zoncolan."

See our articles from other  great climbs here!

Lucho Herrera - Vuelta españa 87 - Must to see!

Luis "Lucho" Herrera - Vuelta españa 87 - Lagos de Covadonga (Etapa 11)

See also our article about Luis "Lucho" Herrera at: Cyclist Card #6 Luis "Lucho" Herrera

Giro d'Italia arrived Italy - Stage 4 in Verona

09 May 2012 - Stage 4 (TTT): Verona - Verona (33.2 km) 

 

Taylor Phinney lost maglia rosa in Verona

  

Garmin-Barracuda won team time trial in Verona.

  

Taylor Phinney lost maglia rosa:

"I had a bad day personally. I don’t know if it was the crash the other day or what, but I had nothing today. The team had to wait for me a couple of times, I have to thank them. Fortunately I didn’t fall today as well, but from my third pull on the front, I could see that something wasn’t right. I’m very disappointed, I don’t have a lot to say. I didn’t have a lot of power. I gave the maximum, I gave everything I have. I have to thank they team. They could have left me but instead they slowed and waited for me.”

Read more at: cyclingnews.com

Stage results

1	Garmin-Barracuda	0:37:04
2	Katusha Team	0:00:05
3	Astana Pro Team	0:00:22
4	Team Saxo Bank
5	Omega Pharma-Quickstep	0:00:24
6	Orica-GreenEdge	0:00:25
7	Liquigas-Cannondale	0:00:26
8	RadioShack-Nissan	0:00:28
9	Sky Procycling	0:00:30
10	BMC Racing Team	0:00:31
11	Movistar Team	0:00:32
12	Lampre-ISD	0:00:34
13	Team NetApp	0:00:43
14	Farnese Vini-Selle Italia	0:00:59
15	Rabobank Cycling Team	0:01:01
16	Lotto Belisol Team	0:01:05
17	Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team	0:01:10
18	FDJ-BigMat
19	Colnago-CSF Inox	0:01:12
20	Androni Giocattoli-Venezuela	0:01:44
21	AG2R-La Mondiale	0:01:45
22	Euskaltel-Euskadi	0:02:22

  

General classification after stage 4

1	NAVARDAUSKAS Ramunas	LTU19880130	GARMIN - BARRACUDA (GRM)	10:01:53
2	FARRAR Tyler	USA19840602	GARMIN - BARRACUDA (GRM)	+10
3	HUNTER Robert	RSA19770422	GARMIN - BARRACUDA (GRM)	+10
4	HESJEDAL Ryder	CAN19801209	GARMIN - BARRACUDA (GRM)	+11
5	PHINNEY Taylor	USA19900627	BMC RACING TEAM (BMC)	+13
6	BOARO Manuele	ITA19871203	TEAM SAXO BANK (SAX)	+19
7	THOMAS Geraint	GBR19860525	SKY PROCYCLING (SKY)	+21
8	ROSSELER Sébastien	BEL19810715	GARMIN - BARRACUDA (GRM)	+25
9	VANDEVELDE Christian	USA19760522	GARMIN - BARRACUDA (GRM)	+26
10	RODRIGUEZ OLIVER Joaquin	ESP19790512	KATUSHA TEAM (KAT)	+30
11	LANCASTER Brett	AUS19791115	ORICA GREENEDGE (OGE)	+30
12	GOSS Matthew Harley	AUS19861105	ORICA GREENEDGE (OGE)	+30
13	STETINA Peter	USA19870808	GARMIN - BARRACUDA (GRM)	+31
14	MORENO FERNANDEZ Daniel	ESP19810905	KATUSHA TEAM (KAT)	+33
15	GASPAROTTO Enrico	ITA19820322	ASTANA PRO TEAM (AST)	+33

noname clothing to Team Zoncolan arrived!

Click to enlarge (photo Oopee Z)

noname is the main sponsor for Team Zoncolan. Now the "maglia rosa" coloured outfit is ready.

See our earlier news about the design and noname from here.

The company will launch a cycling collection later this year.
It may be possible to order Team Zoncolan clothing.

Greatest cycling climbs #13 Colle dell'Agnello (Col Agnel)

The Col Agnel and the border (photo: Touho Häkkinen)

COLLE DELL'AGNELLO - COL AGNEL

Location: Piemonte, Cottian Alps, Italy/France
Altitude: 2744 m
Length from Casteldelfino: 21.3 km
Height difference: 1452 m
Average gradient: 6.8 % (Max: 15 %)






Colle dell'Agnello/Col Agnel links the Queyras valley (Hautes-Alpes) with Pontechianale in the province of Cuneo, Piedmont. It is the third highest paved road pass of the Alps, after Stelvio Pass and Col de l'Iseran.

The ascent is somewhat harder from the Italy side. The tough part starts from Casteldelfino Dam. Starting the climb down from from Sampèyre the total length is 31,5 km while the height difference is 1785 m. You will go up the valley via Sampèyre (959 m). At Casteldelfino (1296 m) it gets a bit steeper, but it is first at Chianale (1797 m) that it gets really steep. There is a part climbing with around 15 % gradient and that makes this side really tough. It is not often that these really high alpine pass roads have that steep sections. The road is broad and surface is fine all the way.

Climbing the ascent from the French side and starting from Château-Queyras, the climb is 20.5 km long at an average gradient of 6.6 %.

Despite being the highest international pass of the Alps, Colle dell'Agnello/Col Agnel is somewhat unknown and it has not been much used in the major cycling tours.  Not many cycling people thus know this great summit that well.

Huge views from the Colle dell'Agnello (photo: Touho Häkkinen)

Surprising, but Tour de France has climbed the Colle dell'Agnello only twice, with following riders taking the summit first: 2008 Egoi Martínez (ESP) and 2011 Maxim Iglinsky (KAZ).Giro d'Italia has visited the Colle dell'Agnello/Col Agnel only once. That was in 2007 when Yoann Le Boulanger from France made the top first.

One of our Z brothers has done the Colle dell'Agnello climb. Oopee Z has comments from 2011:
"This was another killer for the big boy sitting on the Bianchi saddle. I did not yet have my gearing done easier and the 15 % gradient sign at Chianale  almost took the guts off me. Slow and with cadence about 50 and all the torque I could find in my skinny legs I finally passed the steep parts. The cows beside the tarmac were standing skew and staring me obviously amused. When approaching the top I decided to make an instant move and contact a local cycle guru in Briançon - I needed a large cog behind. Well down I got a 30T and that made my Alpe d'Huez attack two days later easy and fun as dancing in the fire. However, the Colle dell'Agnello hero in our group was the photo specialist, Mr. Touho "Martti" Häkkinen, started his cycling from Verzuolo and reached the Colle dell'Agnello some 60 km later, with more that 2300 m of height difference. Respect!"

In Tour de France 2011 the Colle dell'Agnello was the first HC mountain during the incredible monster day, 200,5 km finishing via Col d'Izoard and all the  way to the top of the Col du Galibier.

The monster stage, Tour de France 2012.
(www.letour.com)

Matthew Goss won a stage 3 of the Giro d’Italia

07 May 2012 - Stage 3: Horsens - Horsens (190 km) 

 

Matthew Goss (Orica-GreenEdge) won a stage 3 of the Giro d’Italia. Juan Jose Heado (Saxo Bank) and Tyler Farrar (Garmin-Barracuda) finished second and third on the stage. 

 

Roberto Ferrari (Androni Giocattoli-Venezuela) took out Mark Cavendish (Team Sky) - causing a pile up behind him:

Mark cavendish: Final sprint

Stage results

 

#	Name	Country	Team	Time	d	Time bonus
1	GOSS Matthew Harley	AUS	OGE	4:20:53	0:00	20"
2	HAEDO Juan Jose'	ARG	SAX	4:20:53	0:00	12"
3	FARRAR Tyler	USA	GRM	4:20:53	0:00	8"
4	DEMARE Arnaud	FRA	FDJ	4:20:53	0:00
5	RENSHAW Mark	AUS	RAB	4:20:53	0:00
6	HUSHOVD Thor	NOR	BMC	4:20:53	0:00
7	KRISTOFF Alexander	NOR	KAT	4:20:53	0:00
8	FEILLU Romain	FRA	VCD	4:20:53	0:00
9	BEPPU Fumiyuki	JPN	OGE	4:20:53	0:00
10	GUARDINI Andrea	ITA	FAR	4:20:53	0:00

 ...

181 VEIKKANEN Jussi      FIN        FDJ    4:22:54 2:01

 

General classification after 3 stages:

 

Posn.	Name	Country	Team	Time	d
1	PHINNEY Taylor	USA	BMC	9:24:31	0:00
2	THOMAS Geraint	GBR	SKY	9:24:40	0:09
3	RASMUSSEN Alex	DEN	GRM	9:24:44	0:13
4	BOARO Manuele	ITA	SAX	9:24:46	0:15
5	NAVARDAUSKAS Ramunas	LTU	GRM	9:24:49	0:18
6	LARSSON Gustav Erik	SWE	VCD	9:24:53	0:22
7	LANCASTER Brett	AUS	OGE	9:24:54	0:23
8	GOSS Matthew Harley	AUS	OGE	9:24:54	0:23
9	PINOTTI Marco	ITA	BMC	9:24:55	0:24
10	SERGENT Jesse	NZL	RNT	9:24:57	0:26

 ... 

183 VEIKKANEN Jussi                    FIN        FDJ     9:27:25 2:54

 

Giro d'Italia stage 2 highlights

Remembering Wouter Weylandt

"One year ago, on stage three of the Giro d'Italia, our team mate and friend Wouter Weylandt died after crashing on the descent from the Passo del Bocco. Today, the peloton in the Giro d'Italia will commemorate the anniversary of his death, by holding a minute of silence at the start of the stage in Horsens. They will also pay homage to Mayor Jan Trøjborg of Horsens, who died yesterday.

The crash of Wouter, who had won stage three of the Giro one year earlier, left the peloton in shock. Stage four, along the Tuscan coast to Livorno, was neutralized, with each team leading the pack for 10km and each rider in the knowledge that what happened to Wouter could have happened to any one of their number.

Wouter's partner An-Sophie and his family received great support from the Giro organizers and the whole cycling family. The team established a fund to provide monetary assistance to the family.

Wouter, stai sempre con noi. We will never forget your radiant smile and your witty humor. You spoke with great pride about becoming a father and starting a family with An-Sophie. We will miss you. Remember you. Celebrate you. Forever hold you in our hearts."

http://www.radioshacknissantrek.com/remembering-wouter

Target training session at Large Mountain

Sunday May 6, 2012

Oopee Z and Masa Z had a target training session at Large Mountain (Laajavuori), Jyväskylä, Finland.

Everything seems to be in schedule. Of course, you cannot compare the climb to Zoncolan, but we just tested the gearing.

17:02:51:49 time left to Monte Zoncolan!




Masa Z's HR statistics at the Large Mountain.

Mark Cavendish won the 2nd stage of the 2012 Giro d'Italia

06 May 2012 - Stage 2: Herning - Herning (206 km

 

Mark Cavendish (Team Sky) sprints to stage 2 Giro d'Italia victory. Matthew Goss (Orica-GreenEdge) was second, and Geoffrey Soupe (FDJ-Big Mat) was third.

 

BMC's Taylor Phinney (BMC) successfully defended his maglia rosa.

 

Jussi Veikkanen finished in the peloton.

Stage results

1	Mark Cavendish (GBr) Sky Procycling	4:53:12
2	Matthew Harley Goss (Aus) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team
3	Geoffrey Soupe (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat
4	Tyler Farrar (USA) Garmin - Barracuda
5	Roberto Ferrari (Ita) Androni Giocattoli
6	Mark Renshaw (Aus) Rabobank Cycling Team
7	Thor Hushovd (Nor) BMC Racing Team
8	Daniele Bennati (Ita) RadioShack-Nissan
9	William Bonnet (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat
10	Geraint Thomas (GBr) Sky Procycling

...

170 Jussi Veikkanen (Fin) FDJ-Big Mat                                    s.t.

General classification after stage 2

1	Taylor Phinney (USA) BMC Racing Team	5:03:38
2	Geraint Thomas (GBr) Sky Procycling	0:00:09
3	Alex Rasmussen (Den) Garmin - Barracuda	0:00:13
4	Manuele Boaro (Ita) Team Saxo Bank	0:00:15
5	Gustav Larsson (Swe) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team	0:00:22
6	Ramunas Navardauskas (Ltu) Garmin - Barracuda
7	Brett Lancaster (Aus) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team	0:00:23
8	Marco Pinotti (Ita) BMC Racing Team	0:00:24
9	Jesse Sergent (NZl) RadioShack-Nissan	0:00:26
10	Nelson Oliveira (Por) RadioShack-Nissan	0:00:27
11	Tomas Vaitkus (Ltu) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team
12	Mark Cavendish (GBr) Sky Procycling

...

87 Jussi Veikkanen (Fin) FDJ-Big Mat                                0:00:53

Veikkanen started Giro d'Italia at 89th place

05 May 2012 - Stage 1 (ITT): Herning - Herning (8.7 km)

A good start to Jussi Veikkanen.

Rank	Rider	Nat. + Birthdate	Team (Code)	Result
1	PHINNEY Taylor	USA19900627	BMC RACING TEAM (BMC)	10:26
2	THOMAS Geraint	GBR19860525	SKY PROCYCLING (SKY)	+9
3	RASMUSSEN Alex	DEN19840609	GARMIN - BARRACUDA (GRM)	+13
4	BOARO Manuele	ITA19871203	TEAM SAXO BANK (SAX)	+15
5	LARSSON Gustav	SWE19800920	VACANSOLEIL-DCM PRO CYCLING TEAM	+22
6	NAVARDAUSKAS Ramunas	LTU19880130	GARMIN - BARRACUDA (GRM)	+22
7	LANCASTER Brett	AUS19791115	ORICA GREENEDGE (OGE)	+23
8	PINOTTI Marco	ITA19760225	BMC RACING TEAM (BMC)	+24
9	SERGENT Jesse	NZL19880708	RADIOSHACK-NISSAN (RNT)	+26
10	SANTOS SIMOES OLIVEIRA Nelson Filipe	POR19890326	RADIOSHACK-NISSAN (RNT)	+27

...

35

BASSO Ivan

ITA19771126

LIQUIGAS-CANNONDALE (LIQ)

+39

...

89

VEIKKANEN Jussi

FIN19810329

FDJ-BIG MAT (FDJ)

+53

...

108

SCHLECK Frank

LUX19800415

RADIOSHACK-NISSAN (RNT)

+59

Greatest cycling climbs #12 Passo di Gavia

Passo di Gavia (English: Gavia Pass) (el. 2621 m.) is a high mountain pass in the Italian Alps. It is the 10th highest paved road in the Alps.

The pass lies in the Lombardy region and divides the province of Sondrio to the north and the province of Brescia to the south. The road over the pass connects Bormio to the northwest with Ponte di Legno to the south and is single track most on its southern section.

Passo di Gavia 2010 Giro d'Italia Stage 20 (gazzetta.it)

Passo di Gavia has appeared 7 times in Giro d'Italia. It has been Cima Coppi 6 times.

In 2010, The Giro celebrated 50 years since it first used the Gavia climb. Italy's Imerio Massignan passed over first in 1960, but two punctures allowed Luxembourg's Charly Gaul to catch and pass him on the descent.

Wednesday June 8, 1960 - Stage 20: Trento - Bormio, 229 km

Stage 20 included for the first time what is now a legendary and regularly used pass. After riding the Molina di Ledro, the Campo Carlo Magno and the Tonale, the riders had to get over the toweringly difficult south face of the unpaved Passo Gavia. On race day the road was soggy from melting snow. The pass became extra miserable as the riders had to climb and descend what was a steep, dangerous and now muddy path. The racing bikes of the era didn’t have the low gears racers currently use; getting up the steep mountain was as much a display of pure strength as of endurance.

When they reached the start of the Gavia, Massignan and van Looy were together, about a minute and a half ahead of the first chasing group with Gaul, Anquetil and Nencini. Massignan, being a specialist climber, took off looking for the stage win. Then Gaul took flight, passing Massignan like a bullet while Nencini and Anquetil rode part of the ascent together. The tifosi pushed all the riders, but of course gave special help to Nencini. Anquetil tried to swat the helpers away and the police tried to intercede but the race fans were relentless in their efforts to help.

Nencini finished 2 minutes 34 seconds ahead of the Frenchman and 67 seconds behind stage winner Gaul. Massignan had taken second, only fourteen seconds behind Gaul.

See the full story here: bikeraceinfo.com

Another great story here: tour-racing.co.uk

Stage results

1. Charly Gaul: 7hr 20min 54sec
2. Imerio Massignan + 14sec
3. Gastone Nencini + 1min 7sec
4. Arnaldo Pambianco + 3min32sec
5. Guido Carlesi + 3min 41sec
6. Agostino Coletto s.t.
7. Jacques Anquetil s.t.
8. Joseph Hoevenaers + 5min 15sec
9. Hans Junkermann + 5min 35sec
10. Carlo Brugnami + 5min 55sec

General Classification after Stage 20

1. Jacques Anquetil: 88hr 15min 16sec
2. Gastone Nensini + 28sec
3. Charly Gaul + 3min 51sec
4. Imerio Massignan + 4min 6sec
5. Joseph Hoenvenaers + 5min 23sec
6. Guido Carlesi + 8min 28sxec
7. Arnaldo Pambianco + 8min 32sec
8. Diego Ronchini + 9min 28sec
9. Edouard Delberghe + 12min 29sec
10. Agostino Coletto + 13min 10sec

Sunday 5 June, 1988 - Stage 14: Chiesa in Valmalenco > Bormio, 120 km

The fourteenth stage saw no sunshine, it was either raining or snowing for the whole stage. The Dutchman Johan van der Velde attacked early on during the climb. Andrew Hampsten attacked shortly after Van der Velde, and Erik Breukink and Franco Chioccioli marked his move. 

Van der Velde crossed the Gavia Pass just 30 seconds before Hampsten did. However, shortly after Van der Velde was forced to stop due to the principle of freezing, finding refuge in a camper. He would arrive at the finish line far back, trailing by 46'49". Hampsten crossed the summit about 45 seconds before Breukink. At the summit of the Gavia, Hampsten received a musette bag with various skiing items to help protect him from the elements. Breukink passed Hampsten as he stopped to put on his gear, but Hampsten caught up on the descent. 7-Eleven-Hoonved was the only team that had good protection from the elements, according to Hampsten. For 12 km of the 25 km descent of the Gavia Pass it was snowing. Breukink and Hampsten quickly passed the Van der Velde on the descent. Although Breukink did win the stage, Hampsten finished seven seconds behind and claimed the maglia rosa. In doing so, he became the first American to have the maglia rosa in the history of the Giro d'Italia.

See more at: wikipedia.org 

See Andy Hampsten's legendary 1988 7-Eleven Huffy Giro d'Italia bike here: cyclingnews.com


Erik Breukink won the stage. Andrew Hampsten took the maglia rosa.

In 1989 Passo di Gavia (2621 m) was also supposed to be included the Giro, but the stage was canceled due to bad weather

Saturday June 8, 1996 - Stage 21: Cavalese-Aprica, 250 km

In 1996, Hernan Buenahora (Col) crossed first the Passo di Gavia.

Stage results

 1. Ivan Gotti (Ita) Gewiss                    7.55.00 (31,579 km/h)
 2. Pavel Tonkov (Rus) Panaria-Vinavil          + 0.03
 3. Piotr Ugrumov (Rus) Roslotto-ZG             + 0.57
 4. Enrico Zaina (Ita) Carrera                    s.t.
 5. Abraham Olano (Spa) Mapei-GB                + 2.52
 6. Giuseppe Guerini (Ita) Team Polti           + 5.31
 7. Jean-Cyril Robin (Fra) Festina                s.t.
 8. Paolo Lanfranchi (Ita) Mapei-GB               s.t.
 9. Davide Rebellin (Ita) Team Polti              s.t.
10. Stefano Faustini (Ita) Aki-Gipiemme           s.t.

General classification after stage 21

 1. Pavel Tonkov (Rus) Panaria-Vinavil       100.37.02 (37.903 km/h)
 2. Enrico Zaina (Ita) Carrera                  + 2.43
 3. Abraham Olano (Spa) Mapei-GB                + 2.57
 4. Piotr Ugrumov (Rus) Roslotto-ZG             + 3.00
 5. Ivan Gotti (Ita) Gewiss                     + 3.36
 6. Davide Rebellin (Ita) Team Polti            + 9.15
 7. Stefano Faustini (Ita) Aki-Gipiemme         +10.38
 8. Alexander Chefer (Kaz) Scrigno-Blue Storm   +11.22
 9. Jean-Cyril Robin (Fra) Festina              +12.54
10. Eugeni Berzin (Rus) Gewiss                  +14.41

Saturday June 5, 1999 - Stage 21: Madonna Di Campiglio - Aprica, 187 km

Passo di Gavia was Cima Coppi again.The stage included a lot of drama. General classification leader and certain winner Marco Pantani has been thrown out of the Giro d'Italia this morning before the start of Stage 21. He was tested this morning and his hematocrit level exceeded 50 per cent. The UCI are using this test as a sign that the rider may be using EPO. Then, the race was wide open with Ivan Gotti, Paolo Savoldelli and Laurent Jalabert all in close proximity to each other. None of them had gone close to Pantani who has won 4 stages in the mountains in this edition of the race. 

José Jaime González (Col) was the first rider at the top of Passo di Gavia. 25-year old Roberto Heras won the stage.

Stage results

1. Roberto Heras Hernandez (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca            5.57.07
2. Gilberto Simoni (Ita) Ballan-Alessio
3. Ivan Gotti (Ita) Team Polti
4. Paolo Savoldelli (Ita) Saeco-Cannondale                        4.05
5. Laurent Jalabert (Fra) ONCE-Deutsche Bank                      4.45
6. Sergei Honchar (Ukr) Vini Caldirola-Sidermec                   4.45
7. Daniele De Paoli (Ita) Amica Chips-Costa Almeria               4.45
8. Niklas Axelsson (Swe) Navigare-Gaerne                          4.45
9. Richard Virenque (Fra) Team Polti                              6.19
10. Oscar Mason (Ita) Liquigas-Pata                               8.05

 
General classification after stage 21

 1. Ivan Gotti (Ita) Team Polti                                95.26.13
 2. Paolo Savoldelli (Ita) Saeco-Cannondale                        3.35
 3. Gilberto Simoni (Ita) Ballan-Alessio                           3.36
 4. Laurent Jalabert (Fra) ONCE-Deutsche Bank                      5.16
 5. Roberto Heras Hernandez (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca               7.47
 6. Niklas Axelsson (Swe) Navigare-Gaerne                          9.38
 7. Sergei Honchar (Ukr) Vini Caldirola-Sidermec                  12.07
 8. Daniele De Paoli (Ita) Amica Chips-Costa Almeria              14.20
 9. Daniel Clavero (Spa) Vitalicio Siguros                        15.53
 10. Roberto Sgambelluri (Ita) Cantina Tollo-Alexia               17.31

Race report can be read at cyclingnews.com

Sunday May 28, 2000 - Stage 14: Selva Val Gardena - Bormio, 205 km

In 2000, Colle dell'Agnello (2744 m) was Cima Coppi. However, Passo di Gavia was also included the race.

2000 Giro d'Italia Stage 14 Profile: La Gazzetta dello Sport

Chepe Gonzales (Selle Italia) crossed the Passo di Gavia first without having to sprint, just as it suits a rider who has been pulling much of the way. Danilo Di Luca (Cantina Tollo) and Paolo Lanfranchi (Mapei) were 47 seconds behind them.


Stage results

1 Gilberto Simoni (Ita) Lampre-Daikin                       5.38.09 (36.01 km/h)
2 Eddy Mazzoleni (Ita) Team Polti  
3 Francesco Casagrande (Ita) Vini Caldirola-Sidermec  
4 Wladimir Belli (Ita) Fassa Bortolo  
5 Dario Frigo (Ita) Fassa Bortolo                              0.07
6 Ivan Gotti (Ita) Team Polti  
7 Stefano Garzelli (Ita) Mercatone Uno-Albacom                 0.11
8 Victor Hugo Pena Grisales (Col) Vitalicio Seguros  
9 Danilo Di Luca (Ita) Cantina Tollo                           0.22
10 Leonardo Piepoli (Ita) Banesto                              0.25

General classification after stage 14

1 Francesco Casagrande (Ita) Vini Caldirola-Sidermec       69.51.57
2 Stefano Garzelli (Ita) Mercatone Uno-Albacom                 0.33
3 Gilberto Simoni (Ita) Lampre-Daikin                          0.57
4 Wladimir Belli (Ita) Fassa Bortolo                           1.05
5 Dario Frigo (Ita) Fassa Bortolo                              1.52
6 Ivan Gotti (Ita) Team Polti                                  2.27
7 Pavel Tonkov (Rus) Mapei-Quick Step                          2.35
8 Andrea Noe' (Ita) Mapei-Quick Step                           3.23
9 Hernan Buenahora Gutierrez (Col) Nectar-Selle Italia         3.31
10 Serhiy Honchar (Ukr) Liquigas-Pata                          3.50

Friday May 28, 2004 - Stage 18: Cles Val Di Non - Bormio 2000, 118 Km

Passo di Gavia was Cima Coppi again.



At the Cima Coppi Gavia KOM with 46 km to race, the temperature was 5 degrees and Croatian hard man Vladimir Miholjević passed over first, with Garzelli and Gomis at 1'07, Miholjevic's teammate Moreni at 1'25, Vila at 1'30, Belli at 2'18 and the Saeco led gruppo Maglia Rosa 2'55. 

 See full report at: cyclingnews.com

Stage results

1 Damiano Cunego (Ita) Saeco                                3.56.31 (29.934 km/h)
2 Dario David Cioni (Ita) Fassa Bortolo                               0.05
3 Serguei Gonchar (Ukr) De Nardi                                          
4 Gilberto Simoni (Ita) Saeco                                         0.09
5 Julio A. Perez Cuapio (Mex) Ceramiche Panaria-Margres               0.17
6 Eddy Mazzoleni (Ita) Saeco                                          0.35
7 Juan Manuel Garate Cepa (Spa) Lampre                                    
8 Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago                     0.41
9 Wladimir Belli (Ita) Lampre                                             
10 Andrea Noe' (Ita) Alessio-Bianchi                                  0.43
11 Bradley McGee (Aus) FDJeux.com                                     1.00

General classification after stage 18

1 Damiano Cunego (Ita) Saeco                                      80.40.26
2 Serguei Gonchar (Ukr) De Nardi                                      1.31
3 Gilberto Simoni (Ita) Saeco                                         3.07
4 Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago                     3.23
5 Dario David Cioni (Ita) Fassa Bortolo                               4.44
6 Wladimir Belli (Ita) Lampre                                         5.21
7 Bradley McGee (Aus) FDJeux.com                                      5.24
8 Stefano Garzelli (Ita) Vini Caldirola-Nobili Rubinetterie           6.45
9 Juan Manuel Garate Cepa (Spa) Lampre                                6.56
10 Andrea Noe' (Ita) Alessio-Bianchi                                  6.58

Saturday May 27, 2006 - Stage 20: Trento-Aprica, 212km

A brutal stage with  4000m of climbing and seven hours in the saddle. After a second stage start in Trento, Stage 20 climbs the Passo Tonale, then up the steep Passo Gavia to the Giro's high point of Cima Coppi (2618m), the brutally steep Mortirolo where the Memorial Pantani awaits before the descent to Aprica.

2006 Giro - Stage 20: Trento-Aprica, 212km (gazzetta.it)

At the top of the Gavia, the highest point of the Giro at 2618m, Juan Manuel Gárate (Quick Step-Innergetic) was leading Jose Serpa (Selle Italia) by 22 seconds, with David Lopez Garcia (Euskaltel-Euskadi) at 26 seconds, then Francisco J. Vila Errandonea (Lampre-Fondital)  at 0'28, then Sylvain Calzati (AG2R Prevoyance) at 1'12.

2006 Giro Passo di Gavia Profile (gazzetta.it)

Passo Gavia "Cima Coppi" - km 109,8

1 Juan Manuel Garate (Spa) Quick Step-Innergetic                             20 pts
2 Jose Serpa (Col) Selle Italia-Serramenti Diquigiovanni                     15
3 David Lopez Garcia (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi                                 10
4 Francisco J. Vila Errandonea (Spa) Lampre-Fondital                          6
5 Sylvain Calzati (Fra) AG2R Prevoyance                                       4
6 Gilberto Simoni (Ita) Saunier Duval-Prodir                                  2

Stage results

1 Ivan Basso (Ita) Team CSC                                6.51.15 (30.784 km/h)
2 Gilberto Simoni (Ita) Saunier Duval-Prodir                               1.17
3 Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre-Fondital                                     2.51
4 José E. Gutierrez Cataluna (Spa) Phonak Hearing Systems                      
5 Paolo Savoldelli (Ita) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team                6.03
6 Leonardo Piepoli (Ita) Saunier Duval-Prodir                                  
7 Sandy Casar (Fra) Française des Jeux                                     7.26
8 Juan Manuel Garate (Spa) Quick Step-Innergetic                               
9 Victor Hugo Pena Grisales (Col) Phonak Hearing Systems                       
10 Giampaolo Caruso (Ita) Liberty Seguros-Würth Team                           

General classification after stage 20 

1 Ivan Basso (Ita) Team CSC                                            87.37.33
2 José E. Gutierrez Cataluna (Spa) Phonak Hearing Systems                  9.18
3 Gilberto Simoni (Ita) Saunier Duval-Prodir                              11.59
4 Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre-Fondital                                    18.16
5 Paolo Savoldelli (Ita) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team               19.22
6 Sandy Casar (Fra) Française des Jeux                                    23.53
7 Juan Manuel Garate (Spa) Quick Step-Innergetic                          24.26
8 Franco Pellizotti (Ita) Liquigas                                        25.57
9 Victor Hugo Pena Grisales (Col) Phonak Hearing Systems                  26.27
10 Francisco J. Vila Errandonea (Spa) Lampre-Fondital                     27.34
11 Leonardo Piepoli (Ita) Saunier Duval-Prodir                            28.00

 

Saturday, May 31, 2008 - Stage 20: Rovetta - Tirano, 224 km

Passo di Gavia (2621 m) was Cima Coppi and Mexican Julio Alberto Pérez Cuapio was first rider at the top Gavia.

Passo di Gavia was the first climb of the day. Julio Alberto Perez Cuapio (CSF Group Navigare) crested the Cima Coppi and stopped at the top to put on his rain jacket for the foggy, cold descent. Fortunato Baliani (CSF Group Navigare) and Antonio Colom Mas (Astana) had dropped José Rujano Guillen (Caisse d'Epargne) and Evgeny Petrov (Tinkoff Credit Systems). They were only 30 seconds behind Cuapio over the top and caught him on the descent, after 128 kilometres had been covered.

"Cima Coppi" -Passo Gavia - 106.9 km

1 Julio Alberto Perez Cuapio (Mex) CSF Group Navigare                      20 pts
2 Fortunato Baliani (Ita) CSF Group Navigare                               15
3 Antonio Colom Mas (Spa) Astana                                           10
4 José Rujano Guillen (Ven) Caisse d'Epargne                                6
5 Evgeny Petrov (Rus) Tinkoff Credit Systems                                4
6 Charles Wegelius (GBr) Liquigas                                           2

 Stage results

1 Emanuele Sella (Ita) CSF Group Navigare                    6.52.45 (33.725 km/h)
2 Gilberto Simoni (Ita) Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoli     1.04
3 Joaquin Rodriguez (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne                                  1.22
4 Riccardo Riccò (Ita) Saunier Duval - Scott                                1.30
5 Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Astana                                                   
6 Antonio Colom Mas (Spa) Astana                                                          
7 Fortunato Baliani (Ita) CSF Group Navigare                                              
8 Marzio Bruseghin (Ita) Lampre                                                           
9 Tadej Valjavec (Slo) AG2R La Mondiale                                                   
10 Franco Pellizotti (Ita) Liquigas                                                       
11 Denis Menchov (Rus) Rabobank                                                           
12 Domenico Pozzovivo (Ita) CSF Group Navigare                                            
13 Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Bel) Silence - Lotto                                            
14 Vladimir Karpets (Rus) Caisse d'Epargne                                  5.27
15 Danilo Di Luca (Ita) LPR Brakes                                                        
16 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas                                          10.53

General classification after stage 20

1 Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Astana                                  89.23.25
2 Riccardo Riccò (Ita) Saunier Duval - Scott                                 0.04
3 Marzio Bruseghin (Ita) Lampre                                              2.00
4 Franco Pellizotti (Ita) Liquigas                                           2.05
5 Emanuele Sella (Ita) CSF Group Navigare                                    2.35
6 Denis Menchov (Rus) Rabobank                                               2.47
7 Danilo Di Luca (Ita) LPR Brakes                                            4.18
8 Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Bel) Silence - Lotto                                4.26
9 Domenico Pozzovivo (Ita) CSF Group Navigare                                5.25
10 Gilberto Simoni (Ita) Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoli     6.40
11 Fortunato Baliani (Ita) CSF Group Navigare                               18.27
12 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas                                           18.54
13 Tadej Valjavec (Slo) AG2R La Mondiale                                    22.05
14 Gustav Erik Larsson (Swe) Team CSC                                       26.05
15 Félix Rafael Cardenas Ravalo (Col) Barloworld                            27.39
16 Paolo Savoldelli (Ita) LPR Brakes                                        29.48
17 Joaquin Rodriguez (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne                                 36.37
18 Mauricio Alberto Ardila Cano (Col) Rabobank                              44.42
19 Levi Leipheimer (USA) Astana                                             45.19
20 Paolo Bettini (Ita) Quick Step                                           45.52

Saturday May 29, 2010 - Stage 20: Bormio - Ponte di Legno - Tonale, 178 km

2010 Giro: Stage 20 profile (gazzetta.it)

"Cima Coppi" Passo Di Gavia, 148.8km

1	Johann Tschopp (Swi) Bbox Bouygues Telecom	20	pts
2	Gilberto Simoni (Ita) Lampre-Farnese Vini	15
3	Matthew Lloyd (Aus) Omega Pharma-Lotto	10
4	Carlos Sastre Candil (Spa) Cervelo Test Team	6
5	Alexandre Vinokourov (Kaz) Astana	4
6	Marco Pinotti (Ita) Team HTC - Columbia	2

2010 Giro - Passo di Gavia profile (gazzetta.it)

Stage Results

1	Johann Tschopp (Swi) Bbox Bouygues Telecom	5:26:47
2	Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC Racing Team	0:00:16
3	Ivan Basso (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo	0:00:25
4	Michele Scarponi (Ita) Androni Giocattoli	st.
5	David Arroyo Duran (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne	0:00:41
6	Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo	0:00:43
7	John Gadret (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale	0:00:48
8	Bauke Mollema (Ned) Rabobank	0:00:50
9	Daniele Righi (Ita) Lampre-Farnese Vini	0:00:57
10	Vasil Kiryienka (Blr) Caisse d'Epargne	0:01:02
11	Alexandre Vinokourov (Kaz) Astana	0:01:26
12	Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Bbox Bouygues Telecom	0:01:39
13	Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre-Farnese Vini	st.

General classification after stage 20

1	Ivan Basso (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo	87:23:00
2	David Arroyo Duran (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne	0:01:15
3	Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo	0:02:56
4	Michele Scarponi (Ita) Androni Giocattoli	0:02:57
5	Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC Racing Team	0:03:47
6	Richie Porte (Aus) Team Saxo Bank	0:07:25
7	Alexandre Vinokourov (Kaz) Astana	0:07:31
8	Carlos Sastre Candil (Spa) Cervelo Test Team	0:08:55
9	Robert Kiserlovski (Cro) Liquigas-Doimo	0:14:06
10	Marco Pinotti (Ita) Team HTC - Columbia	0:15:00
11	Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre-Farnese Vini	0:16:45