The Mortirolo climb of the 2012 Giro d'Italia puzzles me. They usually (always?) climb the Western slope beginning in Mazzo di Valtellina. Approximately the route outlined here, I think:
This year, however, they seem to have chosen another ascent using smaller roads a bit furter south (but still on the western slope). I cant find any of these roads on traffic maps online but it's possible to see some roads on satellite maps. Salite.ch seems to have the graphic of this particular ascent, and they also have a description saying it's paved almost all the way to the top. I've tried to trace a route of this climb but it's quite difficult or even impossible without road maps. Does anyone know the route?
I'm pretty sure, however, that the summit of this year's Mortirolo climb at 1718 m is what we see on this photo (grabbed from Google street view):
The photo shows the view when ascending the regular Mortirolo climb from Mazzo di Valtellina. Hairpin 7 is right ahead, and the road to the right must be the new route they'll be coming from in this year's edition. The two roads joins here at c. 1718 m altitude which fits pretty well with the summit of this year's giro. From this point the riders will descend north towards Grosio.
The climb seems even more brutal than the regular Mortirolo climb even if the don't go all the way to the summit (which wouldn't be possible since they're desending down the same slope). Or am I completely wrong?
This year, however, they seem to have chosen another ascent using smaller roads a bit furter south (but still on the western slope). I cant find any of these roads on traffic maps online but it's possible to see some roads on satellite maps. Salite.ch seems to have the graphic of this particular ascent, and they also have a description saying it's paved almost all the way to the top. I've tried to trace a route of this climb but it's quite difficult or even impossible without road maps. Does anyone know the route?
I'm pretty sure, however, that the summit of this year's Mortirolo climb at 1718 m is what we see on this photo (grabbed from Google street view):
The photo shows the view when ascending the regular Mortirolo climb from Mazzo di Valtellina. Hairpin 7 is right ahead, and the road to the right must be the new route they'll be coming from in this year's edition. The two roads joins here at c. 1718 m altitude which fits pretty well with the summit of this year's giro. From this point the riders will descend north towards Grosio.
The climb seems even more brutal than the regular Mortirolo climb even if the don't go all the way to the summit (which wouldn't be possible since they're desending down the same slope). Or am I completely wrong?
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