After two sprint stages on flat roads from central Italy to the northeast, the Giro d'Italia heads deep into the mountains on Saturday with the terrible Monte Zoncolan as the first part of a weekend double whammy of climbing.
The locally called 'Kaiser' dominates the Carnia mountains in the Friuli region close to the border with Austria and Slovenia. It is neither long nor high, but it is steep – very steep – with the 11.9 per cent average and sections at 20 per cent earning the Zoncolan the title of hardest climb in Europe.
The Zoncolan will test the riders' strength, climbing ability, and determination. For many, it will be easier to quit than to ride on, with the riders of the gruppetto making it to the finish thanks to 'help' from the tifosi that pack the roadside, ready to give anyone who needs it a bit of a push.
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With everyone at their physical limits, there is little room for race tactics amongst the overall contenders. Any time gaps may not be huge, but the Zoncolan will have, like always, a significant impact on the 2018 corsa rosa.
There are 100,000 people expected to watch the stage on the steep slopes, with many packing the open-air natural stadium created by the mountain slope that overlooks the final 500 metres of the climb. It is a celebration of professional bike racing.
The Giro d'Italia will climb Monte Zoncolan for only a fifth time in its history on Saturday during stage 14, but it has already become legendary.
Simoni: I went on the front and never looked back
You can read more at Cyclingnews.com
via Cyclingnews Latest Interviews and Features http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/monte-zoncolan-a-ride-to-resurrection-preview
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