Mortirolo Pass


The Mortirolo Pass is a high mountain pass in the Alps in Italy. Also known as Passo di Foppa, it connects Mazzo di Valtellina and Val Camonica. The road from Mazzo di Valtellina is one of the most demanding climbs in professional road bicycle racing, having been used in the Giro d'Italia stage race many times.
In May 2004, while training in Italian Alps, Lance Armstrong said that it was the hardest climb he had ever ridden.

Details of the climb

The mountain pass can be climbed by three roads, although the one from Mazzo di Valtellina is the most famous and only twice the Giro d'Italia climbed the mountain from alternative sides.
The Mortirolo Pass has featured several times in the Giro d'Italia, usually as the last or penultimate climb before the finish. The first time was in Stage 15 of the 1990 Giro d'Italia, between Morbegno and Aprica, starting from Edolo. Due to the steepness of the descent and the crashes that were occurring, the organisers decided to climb this mountain starting from Mazzo in subsequent years.
Since the death of Marco Pantani in 2004, stages of the Giro that go over the Mortirolo feature a special prize to the first man at the top of the pass, called Cima Pantani. A monument to Marco Pantani was erected in 2006 by the Italian Professional Riders Association in the eighth kilometre of the road from Mazzo di Valtellina.

First rider passing Mortirolo in Giro d'Italia