- Mortirolo Pass
-
Mortirolo Pass 
Elevation 1,852 m (6,076 ft) Location Location of Mortirolo Pass
Mortirolo PassLocation Lombardy, 
ItalyRange Italian Alps Coordinates 46°14′53″N 10°17′57″E / 46.24802°N 10.299143°ECoordinates: 46°14′53″N 10°17′57″E / 46.24802°N 10.299143°E The Mortirolo Pass (Italian: Passo di Mortirolo) (el. 1852 m.) is a high mountain pass in the Alps in Italy. Also known as Passo di Foppa, it connects Mazzo di Valtellina and Val Camonica. The road from Mazzo di Valtellina is one of the most demanding climbs in professional road bicycle racing, having been used in the Giro d'Italia stage race many times.
In May 2004, while training in Italian Alps, Lance Armstrong said that it was the hardest climb he had ever ridden.[1]
Contents
Details of the climb
The mountain pass can be climbed by three roads, although the one from Mazzo di Valtellina is the most famous and the only one climbed in Giro d'Italia so far.
- From Mazzo di Valtellina: The actual climb to the summit starts at Mazzo di Valtellina and is 12.4 kilometres long at an average of 10.5% (height gain: 1300 m), the maximum gradient being 18%.[2]
- From Grosio: The actual climb to the summit starts at Grosio and is 14.8 kilometres long at an average of 8.3% (height gain: 1222 m).[3]
- From Edolo: The actual climb to the summit starts at Edolo and is 17.2 kilometres long at an average of 6.7% (height gain: 1153 m).[4]
Giro d'Italia
Monument to Marco Pantani.
The Mortirolo Pass has been featured in Giro d'Italia several times. The first time was in Stage 15 of 1990 Giro d'Italia, between Morbegno and Aprica, using the road from Mazzo di Valtellina.
Since Marco Pantani died in early 2004, stages of the Giro that go over Mortirolo feature a special prize to the first man at the top of the pass called Cima Pantani. A monument to deceased Marco Pantani was erected in 2006 by the Italian Professional Riders Association in the eighth kilometer of the road from Mazzo di Valtellina. [5]
First rider passing Mortirolo in Giro d'Italia
Year Name Country Stage Side 1990 Leonardo Sierra 
Venezuela17 Mazzo di Valtellina 1991 Franco Chioccioli Italy15 Mazzo di Valtellina 1994 Marco Pantani Italy15 Mazzo di Valtellina 1996 Ivan Gotti Italy21 Mazzo di Valtellina 1997 Wladimir Belli Italy21 Mazzo di Valtellina 1999 Ivan Gotti Italy21 Mazzo di Valtellina 2004 Raffaele Illiano Italy19 Mazzo di Valtellina 2006 Ivan Basso Italy20 Mazzo di Valtellina 2008 Toni Colom 
Spain20 Mazzo di Valtellina 2010 Ivan Basso Italy19 Mazzo di Valtellina See also
- List of highest paved roads in Europe
- List of mountain passes
References
External links
Categories:- Mountain passes of Italy
- Climbs in cycle racing
- Mountain passes of the Alps
- Lombardy geography stubs
- Cycling stubs
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
