Italy's Monte Zoncolan is one of the toughest mountain passes in professional cycling, arguably ranked above the Mortirolo, Gavia and Stelvio, and often compared to Spain's Alto de l'Angliru. Given its dominant stature in the sport, however, the mountain has only been included a handful of times in the long-running history of the Giro d'Italia. It has been used six times in the men's Grand Tour, most recently won on by Chris Froome in May.
However, the climb was first introduced in the women's Giro d'Italia Internazionale Femminile, also known as the Giro Rosa, back in 1997 and so there can only ever be one inaugural champion of the Zoncolan, and that is Fabiana Luperini.
Now retired from a successful career that spanned two decades, Luperini now helps run a family-owned agriturismo business. She spoke to Cyclingnews from her home in Pontedera, near Pisa in the Tuscany region of Italy, about that famed inaugural win on the Zoncolan that led to her third of a record of five Giro Rosa victories.
"I still have some photos of that victory in 1997 on the Zoncolan, and I was wearing the pink jersey," Luperini recalled. "It was a beautiful day.
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"I remember that year well, particularly because there was a lot of fear of a climb like the Zoncolan. But, we were used to those kinds of climbs because they were often included in both in the Giro, and especially during the Tour [Grande Boucle Féminine Internationale -ed]."
The Monte Zoncolan is located in the Carnic Alps in the Friuli region. At its highest point, the mountain hits 5,740ft (1,750m), and the roads that venture up its steepest west side from Ovaro travel roughly 10km, with an average slope of just under 12 per cent and pitches as steep as 22 per cent, and it reaches an elevation gain of approximately 4,000ft (1,220m). It is regarded as one of the most spectacular climbs for its scenery and ability to host thousands of tifosi along its roadsides.
At first, organisers used a less challenging side of the Zoncolan from Sutrio from the east side of the mountain, and then later introduced the steeper west side. The list of winners, in either case, is short at only six. After Luperini, it was Gilberto Simoni, who won twice; in 2003 from Sutrio and 2007 from Ovaro, and then Ivan Basso (2010), Igor Anton (2011), Michael Rogers (2014) and this year Froome, who all won from the more challenging side of the mountain.
A 20-year wait for the return of Monte Zoncolan
You can read more at Cyclingnews.com
via Cyclingnews Latest Interviews and Features http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/giro-rosa-countdown-luperini-looks-back-at-victory-on-the-mighty-zoncolan
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