The Mortirolo Pass () (el. 1852 m.) is a high

mountain pass A mountain pass is a navigable route through a mountain range or over a ridge. Since mountain ranges can present formidable barriers to travel, passes have played a key role in trade, war, and both Human migration, human and animal migration t ...

in the

Alps The Alps () are some of the highest and most extensive mountain ranges in Europe, stretching approximately across eight Alpine countries (from west to east): Monaco, France, Switzerland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Germany, Austria and Slovenia. ...

Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...

. Also known as Passo della Foppa, it connects Mazzo di Valtellina (

province of Sondrio The province of Sondrio (), also known as Valtellina (the major valley of the province) is a province in the Lombardy region of Italy. Its provincial capital is the city of Sondrio. As of 2024, it has a population of 179,165. History The prov ...

) and

Val Camonica Val Camonica or Valcamonica (), also Valle Camonica and anglicized as Camonica Valley, is one of the largest valleys of the central Alps, in eastern Lombardy, Italy. It extends about from the Tonale Pass to Corna Trentapassi, in the c ...

(

province of Brescia The province of Brescia (; Brescian: ) is a Provinces of Italy, province in the Lombardy region of Italy. It has a population of some 1,265,964 (as of January 2019) and its capital is the city of Brescia.With an area of 4,785 km2, it is the ...

). The road from Mazzo di Valtellina is one of the most demanding climbs in professional

road bicycle racing Road bicycle racing is the cycle sport discipline of road cycling, held primarily on Road surface, paved roads. Road racing is the most popular professional form of bicycle racing, in terms of numbers of competitors, events and spectators. The ...

, having been used in the

Giro d'Italia The Giro d'Italia (; ), also known simply as the Giro, is an annual stage race, multiple-stage bicycle racing, bicycle race primarily held in Italy, while also starting in, or passing through, other countries. The first race was organized in 19 ...

stage race many times. In May 2004, while training in

Italian Alps The Alps () are some of the highest and most extensive mountain ranges in Europe, stretching approximately across eight Alpine countries (from west to east): Monaco, France, Switzerland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Germany, Austria and Slovenia. ...

Lance Armstrong Lance Edward Armstrong (''né'' Gunderson; born September 18, 1971) is an American former professional road bicycle racing, road racing cyclist. He achieved international fame for winning the Tour de France a record seven consecutive times fro ...

said that it was the hardest climb he had ever ridden.

Details of the climb

The mountain pass can be climbed from four different starting points, although the road departing from Mazzo di Valtellina is the most famous and only twice the

climbed the mountain from alternative sides. *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%. *From

Grosio Grosio (; ) is a (municipality) in the Province of Sondrio in the Italian region of Lombardy, located about northeast of Milan and about northeast of Sondrio, on the border with Switzerland. The municipality of Grosio contains the (subdivisions ...

: the actual climb to the summit starts at

and is 14.8 kilometres long at an average of 8.3% (height gain: 1222 m). *From

Edolo Edolo ( Camunian: ) is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Brescia, Lombardy, northern Italy, located in the upper Camonica valley. Edolo is neighbour to the comuni of Corteno Golgi, Incudine, Lovero, Malonno, Monno, Ponte di Legno, Sav ...

: the actual climb to the summit starts at

and is 17.2 kilometres long at an average of 6.7% (height gain: 1153 m). *From

Tovo di Sant'Agata Tovo di Sant'Agata is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Sondrio in the Italian region Lombardy, located about northeast of Milan and about northeast of Sondrio. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 577 and an area of .All ...

: the actual climb to the summit starts at Tovo and is 11.4 kilometres long at an average of 10.5% (height gain: 1194 m).

Giro d'Italia

The Mortirolo Pass featured several times in the

, usually as the last or penultimate climb before the finish of the stage. The first time was in Stage 15 of the

1990 Giro d'Italia The 1990 Giro d'Italia was the 73rd edition of the race. It started off in Bari on May 18 with a individual time trial. The race came to a close with a mass-start stage that began and ended in Milan on June 6. Twenty-two teams entered the ra ...

, between

Morbegno Morbegno (; or ; ) is a little town in the low Valtellina Valley in Italy, on the left side of the Adda river. It is part of the province of Sondrio of Lombardy. Given its proximity to the San Marco Pass, which connects the Valtellina with th ...

and

Aprica Aprica () is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Sondrio, Lombardy, northern Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, ...

, starting from

. Due to the steepness of the descent and the crashes that were occurring, the organisers decided to climb this mountain starting from Mazzo in subsequent years. Since the death of

Marco Pantani Marco Pantani (; 13 January 1970 – 14 February 2004) was an Italian road racing cyclist, widely regarded as one of the greatest climbing specialists in the history of the sport by measures of his legacy, credits from other riders, and record ...

in 2004, stages of the Giro that go over the Mortirolo feature a special prize to the first man at the top of the pass, called Cima Pantani ("Pantani Top"). A monument to

was erected in 2006 by the ''Italian Professional Riders Association'' at the eighth kilometre of the road from Mazzo di Valtellina. Bianchi

First rider passing Mortirolo in Giro d'Italia

References

External links

Mortirolo pass details by climbbybike.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mortirolo Mountain passes of Italy Climbs in cycle racing in Italy Mountain passes of the Alps

Details of the climb

Giro d'Italia

First rider passing Mortirolo in Giro d'Italia

See also

References

External links