Alto de L'Angliru V Monte Zoncolan. Which climb is harder?

[Carols]

Well after today we'll have the opinion of Nibali as well as Gibo and Contador.. I'd like to hear what he has to say

 

[eric_vv]

I would love that. Especially if there was no actual mountain, just an engineering marvel of a road that climbs to over 1000m altitude from sea level, on struts.

You could even have a roof on it, and make it into a mountain velodrome! It'd make me care a lot more about Six Days, I can tell you that!

The idea is to build an actual mountain http://www.diebergkomter.nl/ and should be at least 2000 m high.

 

[The Hitch]

I agree with The Great One

Their building mountains now ?

Might be a good think Giro fired Angleo then

 

[Libertine Seguros]

The idea is to build an actual mountain http://www.diebergkomter.nl/ and should be at least 2000 m high.

They're building it in Flevoland? That's just too funny. Please tell me there'll be a road there to teach the new Dutch youngsters how to climb

 

[Moondance]

Haven't ridden either so I couldn't possible make any estimation.

Anyone who thinks they can despite no first hand experience is kidding themselves.

 

[eric_vv]

They're building it in Flevoland? That's just too funny. Please tell me there'll be a road there to teach the new Dutch youngsters how to climb

The location (like all other plans) isn't set this seems to suggest building it of the coast. With a connection to the mainland. Kan jou imagine that stage combining a long straight road in the wind with a mountaintop finish?

 

[luckyboy]

Yeah it's Angliru isn't it

 

[killswitch]

Having watched two ascents of each climb: Zoncolan >>> Angliru. (in my armchair fan opinion )

 

[Havetts]

Angliru > Zoncolan. Why? Zoncolan popped 1 motor, Angliru popped 2.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

They both repersent what I love about cycling.

but the zonc wins imo.

 

[Descender]

Motorbikes have spoken.

 

[trevim]

So another opinion on this subject: Tiago Machado (Radioshack) who rode the Zoncolan in the Giro and now the Angliru says that Zoncolan is harder.

 

[Parrulo]

So another opinion on this subject: Tiago Machado (Radioshack) who rode the Zoncolan in the Giro and now the Angliru says that Zoncolan is harder.

was about to post that myself lol

 

[CatsNK]

The day before the 2009 race, I went up Angrilu in a heavy rain. Started raining as I stepped out of my car in La Vega, rained harder all the way up. Used a 39-27 gear. No stops, except when my foot came off pedal on the hard part. I had to clip in one side, lean on the rock, clip in other foot to get started again! That section is called 23.5%. At the bottom back in La Vega, I ordered a glass of wine and a donut. A guy offered to pay for it, and we talked. He was/is Checu Rubiera's uncle. Obviously he's a local Asturian, and said that section is really 27% but they don't claim it to keep UCI from not allowing it.

2010 Giro, I did the Zoncolan, 34-27 gear. (my mechanic convinced me to drop to the compact). Again, no stops; but easier gear.

I voted them equally difficult.

This is insightful. It appears that both climbs are very close in difficulty. The difference, IMO, would likely lie in the type of weather on the day of the climb for the racers - wind, heat, rain.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

imagine the Zoncolan or Angliru with massive headwind. I guess you don't want to live anymore after 2km

 

[Eshnar]

imagine the Zoncolan or Angliru with massive headwind. I guess you don't want to live anymore after 2km

well, when you're going at 10 km/h or so the wind isn't a big deal. Unless it's a hurricane

 

[Nielsa]

Doesn't need to be a hurricane. Few years back I was walking the streets of Dublin one april night, the headwind was so hard you really had to make an effort to walk into it. If you've never been to a place that's really exposed to wind, on a really windy day, it can be hard to imagine.

(As opposed to places that are sheltered from the worst winds because of topology, like mountain ranges or valley tops.)
I don't know if those two mountains really get the worst kinds of winds, though?

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

well, when you're going at 10 km/h or so the wind isn't a big deal. Unless it's a hurricane

Not true.

Just outside the city here there is a molehill, I would say not more than 3/4%. Which normally slows you down, but since it's so short it is nothing. However, in february, i went up there and got flattened by headwind storm. I seriously couldn't go faster than 12/13km/h (on a racebike)

If that was a 20% slope I would go backwards

 

[Eshnar]

Not true.

Just outside the city here there is a molehill, I would say not more than 3/4%. Which normally slows you down, but since it's so short it is nothing. However, in february, i went up there and got flattened by headwind storm. I seriously couldn't go faster than 12/13km/h (on a racebike)

If that was a 20% slope I would go backwards

in a 20% slope I always go backwards anyway

but I understand your point

 

[Ferminal]

Come May 26 2012, we will have a new climb to compare with these two monsters.

It cannot match Zoncolan's epic 6km @ 14.9%, but its first 6km are @ 12.5%.

Its hardest section, right at the top, is 800m @ 16.75%, this is again beaten by Angliru's 17.3% kilo, or Zoncolan's 1.5km @ 18%.

On a whole, the official stats register it at 11.4km @ 10.5%. But this one features a brief descent, so we must go deeper.

The first 8km see a gain of 920m.

After an 800m descent, there are two final kilometres before the pass, with a gain of 263m.

Adding the two sections together, we have 10km @ 11.8%*

*using data from Salite, RCS have calculated the start of the official climb 600m earlier, if we were to include that section, we would get a number almost identical to Ovaro, 10.6km @ ~11.5%

This is very competitive with Ovaro's 10.5km @ 11.5%. Of course, the descent is still there, so that brief respite must be taken into account. Plus, the extreme gradients of Zoncolan and Angliru have to be recognised as providing an additional challenge.

I think we can consider this a more consistent cousin of Zoncolan, and if not on par in terms of difficulty, very close to the mark.

There will be no waiting for Stelvio.

 

[The Hitch]

Mortirolo is still I think the most famous Giro climb. Id say the Zoncolan is harder, but Mortirolo gets usually put in the best place possible for a climb, 30k from the end. Maybe 1 day well see Zoncolan- Crostis

I agree, Giro 20 will be something else. Fingers cross the GC is still close them though Im afraid Liquigas might ruin it with their team tt up the mountain. Would be better if Basso was chasing pink, like last time we had the Mortirolo, and them whittling the group down to about 6 for the Stelvio, where Basso will drill it.

 

[Eshnar]

Mortirolo is still I think the most famous Giro climb. Id say the Zoncolan is harder, but Mortirolo gets usually put in the best place possible for a climb, 30k from the end.

I'd say the best thing Mortirolo has to offer is... Aprica.
A MTF to the top of Mortirolo would be pointless. I still dream to see Zoncolan used as a pass someday.

 

[greenedge]

If Basso does not win the Giro next year i will be very surprised.

 

[Eshnar]

If Basso does not win the Giro next year i will be very surprised.

I guess everyone will.
But we still have to know who are his rivals though. It's a bit too early for that.

 

[gregrowlerson]

Would Finestre be generally regarded as the 4th toughest climb in GT's?

18 kms @ 9% with half of it a non paved road. That's a beast.