Sella del Monte Zoncolàn
	Height	Climbing height
	1735m Sign 1750m	1210m (Ovaro) 1145m (Priola), 1177m (Sutrio)
	Difficulty	Beauty
	5 (5) West; 4 (5) East (Sutrio)	2 (5)
How to get there	This is one of the hardest climb in Italy and elsewhere. The classic climb starts from the west in the slightly boring village of Ovaro (525m). This is a southernly alternative passage east south of the Sella Valcalda (969m) (which is the northernmost passage inside Italy here). This climb is very hard from just after Liáriis (666m) with an average of above 15% for the last 6 km. Maximum is a little above 20%. There are three unpaved and unlit tunnels near the top where it is almost flat. This approach to Monte Zoncolàn is being resurfaced this year (2007) and improved since it became obvious to all that the Giro d’Italia only climbed the “easy” side back in 2003 and they will now return to tackle the hard side! (I do not know why the professionals always should ride on smooth and improved roads though ;-).) The climb from Sutrio (558m) in the east is on a wide and smooth road up to a parking place (1288m) by the ski resort on this side of mountain. It then continues on a very steep and narrow road similar to the west side until the top. There is an alternative road on the east side that joins the other road at the parking place. This road starts in Priola (590m) and was first fully tarmacced in October 2005 according to the report by ‘Renko’ at quaeldich.de. This road is around as hard as the Ovaro climb. (For how to find the start, see the link.)
Other comments	The climb from Ovaro is so steep that after Liáriis it is difficult to find possibilities for drinking. 39-27 is a minimum for thse types of climbs. At the top there is a surfaced road going off to some ski lift stations, but it reportedly does not go anywhere (I mistakenly started out on this while there in 2004, but returned a bit later). I think there was water just before the real climb starts soon after Liáriis. The climb is mostly wooded and offers few good views on either side. The east side might be a bit nicer. Do not miss to read the excellent report at quaeldich.de by a guy (English, but writes in German) whom I met at a train station in 2006 in the Dolomites. [o686]