Plan di Montecampione (Giro d'Italia)
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The peloton tackles the Wall of Sormano (pic: Sirotti)
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Colombians, Nairo Quintana and Rigoberto Uran do battle on the Zoncolan pic: ©Sirotti
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Christopher Horner rides alone after dropping Vuelta a Espana GC rival Vincenzo Nibali on the Angliru (pic: Sirotti)
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Peter Cossins' looks at 'cycling's greatest climb' in Alpe d'Huez (pic: Media-24)
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Froome rounds the final corner of the Mont Ventoux on his way to his 2013 stage win (pic: Sirotti)
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The iconic Passo dello Stelvio is likely to feature on the 'must ride' list of any cyclist. pic: ©Media24
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The Koppenberg is known to have forced many a cyclist to get off and push (pic: Sirotti)
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Alejandro Valverde celebrates his La Fleche Wallonne triumph atop the Mur de Huy in 2015 (pic: Sirotti)
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The snow-laden slopes of the Gavia featured at the Giro last year (pic: Sirotti)
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The Passo Giau is set in a landscape that can accurately be described as stunning. pic: ©Sirotti
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Joaquim Rodriguez resplendent in the maglia rosa at the 2012 Giro d'Italia, tackles the Mortirolo
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The Col du Tourmalet was part of the 2014 Etape du Tour (pic: muneaki / Creative Commons)
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Joaquim Rodriguez celebrates his win on the Ancares in 2012 (pic: Sirotti)
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Nairo Quintana and Pierre Rolland tackle the Montecampione at last year's Giro d'Italia (pic: Sirotti)
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The stunning backdrop masks the fierceness of the climb to the Lakes of Covadonga (pic: Sirotti)
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The Hautacam has become a popular modern addition to the Tour de France pic: ©Media24
Plan di Montecampione (Giro d'Italia)
Rising to a ski station at 5,721ft above sea level, the Plan di Montecampione hosted Marco Pantani’s famous triumph in 1998.
More than 20km in length, the climb carries an average gradient of 7.5 per cent and also returned to the corsa rosa last year, when Italian climber Fabio Aru won on the day.
The climb, in Lombardy, is as tough for the way it finishes as for its overall stats, as like many of the WorldTour’s biggest climbs the steepest sections come in the closing kilometres.
A gentle opening makes way for an average gradient of eight per cent, but the climb has a large false flat section before the final six kilometres kick skywards. Save something for the end!
Key facts
Length: 20.2km
Average gradient: 7.5%
Maximum gradient: 12%