Yesterday, Basso and Pellizotti, also accompanied by Croatian 23 year old climber Robert Kiserlovski, tested the last 90 kilometers of the crucial part of the 218 km Mestre-Zoncolan stage 15 scheduled for May 23rd.
They rode four "colli": the Sella Chianzulan at 954 m, the Passo Duron at 1076 m with its 4.3 km at 10% with a maximum of 18%, the Sella Valcalda at 958 m, and only the initial part, due to snow, of the Zoncolan whose last 10 km are at 11.9% with a maximum at 22%.
Basso reported, "Duron is challenging in the beginning and the descent is insidious, there are many delicate sections. The Zoncolan I already know, it was important to see the parts I do not know."
"That day I want to be a leader," was the promise of Pellizotti. This is Pellizotti's second test of the stage, see first test report here from November.
You can read the cycling experience of riding up the Zoncolan by two mere mortals here.
Photos: on the test ride; Zoncolan profile (click to enlarge)
Stories for the Italian Cycling Journal about rides, granfondo, having a good time cycling in Italy, Italian cycling history, etc. are very welcome. Contact me at veronaman@gmail.com. There are more than 1,200 stories in this blog. The search feature to the right works best for finding subjects in the blog and there is also a translate button at the bottom so you can translate each page.
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Hi, I like the blog and have linked to it from mine. You might like to view my blog, recent stories include the latest transfer rumours - already! - and Pellizotti is mentioned.
ReplyDeleteThere's also a reference to Gianni Bugno's new career in politics in another story.
I've climbed Valcalda, not too bad, and Selle Chianzutan from the hard side (from Tolmezzo)- they're doing it from the more gradual southern approach. Forcella Duron also doesn't look too bad (maybe I should add it to my 2010 goals). But doing all of those after riding all the way from Mestre, and then finishing with Zoncolan from the hard side (da Ovaro), that is one hell of a stage.
ReplyDeleteI'll try to ride to Chianzutan and watch them crest their first summit. Should be quite a site.