Monte Zoncolan via Sutrio

Cycling Monte Zoncolan from Sutrio

Ride 13.1 kilometers gaining 1165 meters at 9% average grade.

Note: The Giro returns to Zoncolan 22 May 2021 Stage 14 - See more below.

PJAMM Cycling’s 2021 Giro d’Italia page.

This is the easiest (well, least murderous) of the three approaches to Monte Zoncolan.  

While the Priola and Ovaro routes are 12.8% and 11.7% respectively, Sutrio is much longer and, while “only” 8.9% average grade, 24.5% is between 10-15% and 10% of the climb is at grade 15-20%.  The steepest kilometer begins at kilometer 12.1 and is a murderous 17.2%.

GIRO D’ITALIA

PJAMM CYCLING 2021 GIRO PAGE

The Giro d'Italia has featured Monte Zoncolan 6 times from 2003 to 2018, but only once before 2021 from the Sutrio side.  

Table from Wikipedia - Monte Zoncolan.

After a two year hiatus, Monte Zoncolan (from Sutrio) returns as a featured and mountain-top finish 22 May (Cittadella to Monte Zoncolan 205 km/127 mi) of the 2021 Giro d’Italia.

Giro d’Italia Stage 14 Profile - Giroditalia.it.

“This mountain stage is divided into two parts: it starts flat and continues on a slight incline for 130 km, all the way to Monte Rest. The route then weaves through a brace of hairpins, on narrowed roadway, both on the way up and on the way down. After going back on broader roads in Priuso, the route passes Tolmezzo and Arta Terme, reaching the foot of the closing climb. The first 11 km ascend in hairpins, on wide roads, with gradients around 7-8%, whereas the last 3 km are very demanding.

 Giroditalia.it

Final kilometres - The last 3 km rise sharply on narrow road with only a few bends, and gradients often exceeding 20% (averaging 13%). The pitch over the final kilometre largely hovers around the 18% mark, with gradients exceeding 25% and topping out at 27% both along the hairpins and in the final stretch. The last 50 metres are on tarmac road and on a slight incline” (Technical Info - Giroditalia.it).

Photo left - Chris Froome wins Giro 2018 Stage 14 (photo: Stickybottle.com)

Photo right - PJAMM finishes 21 July 2018.

The great advantage of cycling, over almost all other professional sports, is that the fans can “be on the same field” as the professionals for free.  

Climb begins in Sutrio by riding up Strada Provinciale 123.

Nine “tornanti” (hairpins) begin at kilometer 1.5:  4.3 km at 8.8%.

Chiesa Parrocchiale di Sant'Ulderico, Sutrio.

Church completed in 1806 and contains historical wooden altars dating to 1600-1700.

(Google Map)

Ride on SP 123 for the entire route.

The first 9.4 kilometers are on a two lane road with center stripe.

Be sure to veer left at kilometer 9.3.

Look for the drive through building (Hotel Enzo Moro) on your left as you approach.

Enter Zoncolan Commune at kilometer 9.

From the town of Zoncolan, we are on a one-lane STEEP road the last 3.7 kilometers

The final 3.7 kilometers from Zoncolan to the summit average 11.5%.

Ride past Hotel Baita Goles at kilometer 7.5.

The steepest 500 meters begins at kilometer 12.1 and is a chilling 17.2%.

Last push to the top.

Wikipedia:

“East from Sutrio: This route is less demanding than the road from Ovaro but it is also one of Italy's most challenging climbs. It was featured for the first time in the 1997 Giro Donne and later in the 2003 Giro d'Italia. The actual climb to the summit starts at Sutrio and is 13.5 kilometres (8.4 mi) long at an average of 9% with an elevation gain of 1,210 metres (3,970 ft) and a maximum gradient being 23%. The first 8.7 kilometres (5.4 mi) have an average gradient of 8.7%, followed by a false flat after this section. The most demanding section is the final 3.5 kilometres (2.2 mi) with an average gradient of 13% and the initial part of the final kilometre at 22% grade.”

The Sutrio/Priola Overlap:  (Monte Zoncolan from Priola is #11 Italy / #60 World)

• Priola to merge with Sutrio Route:   3.3 miles/5.3 km = 13.3% average grade
• Sutrio to merge with Priola:  5.8 miles / 9.3 km = 7.9%
• After merge of Sutrio/Priola routes to the summit:  2.3 miles / 3.7 km = 11.7%

Ride to Ovaro from the summit.

Monte Zoncolan from Ovaro is the traditional route to cycle Monte Zoncolan (PJAMM Climb Page).

One of the great features of Zoncolan from Ovaro are the historical KM markers.  Below are all of the kilometer signs on the Monte Zoncolan Ovaro climb.  If a year for a Grand Tour is listed, that means the rider won the event that year, unless specified otherwise (e.g., if he was KOM).

Ottavio Bottecchia (IT; Winner TdF 1924-1925); Alfredo Binda (IT; Giro d’Italia 1925, 1926, 1928-1929, 1933; World Road Race Champion 1927, 1930, 1932).

Photos clockwise from top left:  Louison Bobet (FR; TdF 1953-1955); Charly Gaul (LU;  Giro 1956, 1959, KOM 1956, 1959;; TdF  1958, KOM 1955-1956); Federico Bahamontes (ES; TdF 1959); Jacques Anquetil (FR; TdF 1957, 1961-1964; Giro 1960, 1964); Felice Gimondi (IT; TdF 1965; Giro 1967, 1969, 1976; Vuelta 1968; world champion 1973); Eddy Merckx (BE; not enough room for all of his accomplishments  🏆🏆🏆🏆, etc. - but . . . some of them:  TdF 1969-1972, 1974; Giro 1968, 1970, 1972-74; Vuelta 1973; hour record 1972); Francesco Moser IT; Giro 1984; World Champion 1977); The Badger (FR; TdF 1978-1979, 1981-1982, 1985; Giro 1980, 1982, 1985; Vuelta 1978, 1983; World Champion 1980).

 Giuseppe Saronni (IT; Giro 1979, 1983); Gianni Bugno (IT; Giro 1990; World Champion 1991-1992); Miguel Indurain (ES; TdF 1991-1995; Giro 1992-1993; Olympic Gold 1996); Marco Pantani (IT; TdF 1998; Giro 1998); Fiorenzo Magni (IT; #1 Greatest cycling photo of all time  👍👍; Giro 1948, 1951, 1955); Gino Bartali (IT; TdF 1938, 1948; Giro 1936-1937, 1946); Fausto Coppi (IT; TdF 1949, 1952; Giro 1947, 1949, 1952-53); Gilberto Simoni (IT; Giro 2001, 2003).

Franco Ballerini (IT; Paris-Roubaix 1995, 1998; Coach Italian National Cycling Team

from 2001 until his death in 2010); Gilberto Simoni (IT; Giro 2001, 2003).