Monte Zoncolan

I decided to bring my bike along and use the opportunity to explore some iconic climbs in the region. With the idea of touching on Grand Tour stages, I chose Monte Zoncolan from the Ovaro side as my first challenge, having heard that it's one of the toughest climbs in the Alps.
I began my ride in Venzone, following a bike path along the riverbed of the Fiume Fella, where it merges with the Tagliamento River, near the Austrian border. The ride was easy and scenic until I reached Tolmezzo. From there, I headed west to Villa Santina, then north toward Ovaro, where the real climb began.
Turning off at around 500 meters above sea level, the road immediately steepened, forcing me to shift to my small chainring. As I approached Liariis, the first part of the climb was manageable, but once I left the village, the road ahead suddenly turned into a brutal wall of 17-21% gradients for the next 7 kilometers. This section was mentally and physically demanding, and I had to stand on the pedals almost the entire time.
At the base of this section, a sign commemorated Giro d’Italia hero Ottavio Bottecchia, marking "kilometer zero." I struggled for about 15 minutes before the first sign showed 0.5 km to go, which felt endless. But, like all tough challenges, it eventually passed. The last 3 kilometers offered a more scenic section through tunnels and switchbacks, before I finally reached the top at 1,750 meters.
The descent was steep but manageable, and I rode down to the ski station, then onto a wider road, making my way to the valley in Sutrio. After a coffee stop in Tolmezzo, I coasted back to the starting point, feeling accomplished having completed one of the most difficult climbs in the Alps—Monte Zoncolan.

bike: Pretty Betty Specialized Tarmac S-Works
starring: Gerry Samer