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news
Pozza San Gisele on Strave.JPGIs this the hardest road cycling climb in the world? (+ video)
Could Italy’s Pozza San Glisente be the world’s toughest road climb? The people behind Twitter account La Flamme Rouge, who keep track of such things, certainly think so – they’ve just given it that accolade.
We have a new #1 harder climb in the world and is in Italy: San Glisente Pozza from Esine. Coefficient: 3333.
Beats Galipan by 300 points. pic.twitter.com/Ftx5yui95o
— La Flamme Rouge (@laflammerouge16) June 5, 2017
Located in Lombardy, around 40 kilometres due north of Brescia, it’s 10.2 kilometres in length and has an average gradient of 18.1 per cent. Even just thinking about that makes our legs hurt, and that’s before you see the road surface.
And the surface of the climb is like THAT. pic.twitter.com/IldbmIphFy
— La Flamme Rouge (@laflammerouge16) June 5, 2017
There is a Strava segment, too – with the KOM currently standing at 3 hours 2 minutes and 41 seconds – though only one person seems to have attempted it.
The climb it knocked off the top spot? El Picacho de Galipán in Venezuela, which has an average gradient of 14.5 per cent over its 14.3 kilometre length … and as if that weren’t enough, most of its road surface is cobbled.
At 2nd Place, in Venezuela, El Picacho de Galipán.
Surface of the climb is for the most part cobbled. pic.twitter.com/V3NrrbCNOq
— La Flamme Rouge (@laflammerouge16) June 5, 2017
Given the narrowness of the San Glisente Pozzo climb and the state of the road, not to mention a gradient that would see most of the peloton well outside the time limit, it’s not an ascent that would ever feature in the Giro d’Italia.
But La Flamme Rouge – who are the official race material providers to the Tour of the Alps and other UCI Continental races – say that this climb, the Stentaria in Friuli Venezia Giulia in the north east of the country, could one day figure.
The hardest climb in Italy that could really be in #Giro in the future is Stentaria. In 2011 there was some rumours and the road now is ok pic.twitter.com/hoymZ2GCro
— La Flamme Rouge (@laflammerouge16) June 6, 2017
Meanwhile, back to the Pozza San Glisente – if you want a good look at it, sit back and watch this two part video of the descent on a mountain bike.
For comparison, the Alto de l'Angliru in Asturias, Spain, which regularly features in the Vuelta, is generally considered to be one of - if not THE - toughest climb used in any of cycling's three Grand Tours.
It's 12.5 kilometres long and with an average gradient of just over 10 per cent, hitting 24 per cent in places.
With the second half of the climb averaging 13 per cent, it's hard work, even if your mum is giving you tips on how to tackle it.
> Video: "Bloody hell, Mum. Thanks." Cyclist reacts to parental "advice" as he tackles the Angliru
Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.
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17 comments
Just been sent this link by a pal. Seeing as I'll be almost driving past it on Saturday I reckon I'll have a look, maybe a walk but I don't think 36/25 will get me very far!
AL
Having done Hardknott and Wrynose passes in one ride, I have nothing left to prove. But has anyone ridden those and the stuff in this article? Care to comment on the relatice difficulty?
30% but you do get a rest in the middle
"But has anyone ridden those and the stuff in this article? "
no (well not me) but obviously you get a longer rest doing this so its counts for nowt
Some one tell Phil Gaimon.
Actually ... lots of non-metalled tracks like that in northern Italy. What's the deal?
Memory playing tricks, maybe it's 10%? Deffo finishes at 20+% though, there's a road sign. Managed to grind up in granny ring but couldn't do it on a road bike with 34/28.
Plenty steep stuff round that way but Wikipedia tells me that the highest point in Lancashire is only 628 metres. No wonder the Yorkies look down on you/them (from their 736m high point).
Calling it a road climb is a bit of a stretch, I'm sure there are plenty of farmer's tracks into the hills that are of similar nature.
There's a road on the moors in the Rochdale area that's about 6.5km and averages about 15% and kicks up to 20-25% for the last km or so. Did it with a mate on my old mountain bike a couple of years ago and it was grim. At those angles there's no way to start again if you have to foot down and as Carton said, keeping your front wheel from hopping is hard. I don't think I'd have been able to do it on a road bike, even if I had a 32 on the back which I don't!
6.5km at 15% is nearly 1000 metres ascent!
Agree with others, if you've the gears, the legs and the lungs. And probably a bit of technique - as noted above, keeping the front wheel under control can be tricky when it gets really steep.
Not sure I've any of those but a small light has switched on in my brain and it mightn't fade soon...
Sutton Bank and Rosedale Chimney are bad enough, think I'll give that a miss!
Coming back down would be fun.
On a mountain bike, sure.
Yep. 22-36 should do the trick for most people, really, but the more out back the merrier. That's the beauty of MTB gearing. At over 35% technique comes to play, keeping your front wheel from lifting and your back wheel from slipping becomes tricky, particularly on cobbles.
I wouldn't enjoy going up or down this on a road bike, even on MTB gearing, but I'm sure there are plenty of more skilled riders who'd have a go.
Give me 22-40 gearing and I'd give it a shot!
Right who's up for this then? (not me)