After the reconnaissances of Gilberto Simoni (Saunier Duval-Prodir) and Damiano Cunego (Lampre-Fondital), Ivan Basso has decided to have a go at what many consider the toughest climb in cycling. Today, he is set to test ride the Monte Zoncolan, which will be the last serious mountain stage in this year's Giro d'Italia.
Simoni commented in December that the climb was as tough as or tougher than the Mortirolo (at 10.5% average gradient over 12.4 km). "The last kilometre was the hardest I confronted in my life as a climber," he noted to La Gazzetta dello Sport regarding Zoncolan. From Ovaro, the 10.1 kilometre climb contains sections of 22, 20 and 18%, with an average gradient of 11.9%.
