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