Saturday, May 5, 2012

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


Bandiera dei Paesi Bassi Erik Breukink won the stage. Bandiera degli Stati Uniti 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  

 

1 comment:

  1. This one on the Giro 2013 schedule on Friday the 24/05/2013. We will cycle it up that very morning, very early.
    -Team Zoncolan

    ReplyDelete