San Bernardino Pass AND Passo di Spluga: best for last

The San Bernardino Pass and Passo di Spluga, two major cols that we at Cyclosportive would like to conquer. Today they follow each other in stage 20 of the Giro. Perhaps the Giro has been shortened after stage 16 already decided. But if you still want something as a classification rider, and you are not the best time trialist, then you MUST make your move here. There are opportunities for both the general classification and the mountains jersey.

Text: Emil van der Wal, photos Shutterstock

Compare and shudder

The penultimate stage and then also with a finale where you, 'Can I say that? yes I can say that!', you say. It is 165km long and from kilometer 45 it starts to climb. This continues for 62km, to the top of the San Bernardino Pass. On that first summit they climbed 1400 meters of altitude, of the 4800 that have to be conquered today.

San Bernadino Pass

This used to be an important connecting route. It has been much less busy since 1967, when a tunnel was opened and dug through the belly of this mountain. This is fantastic for cyclists, because there is very little car and freight traffic. You will find motorcycles there, but that should no longer spoil the fun on this Swiss, therefore perfectly asphalted, climb.

At the top you will also find a hospice. Not so much as we know it, but this was a monastery to which the famous Saint Bernard dogs owe their name. From there, partly thanks to the keg of rum around their necks, they carried out several rescue missions. They specialized in searching for people caught in avalanches.

You can almost say that the climb of the San Bernardino Pass starts along the edge of Lake Maggiore where the stage starts at an altitude of 203m. It goes up very slowly for the first 75 km and from the town of Lostallo they start the climb. But what determines where the climb begins? In this case Strava. I'm very curious who will be the one today COME scores.

Passo di Spluga

Because the Austrians, yes you read that correctly, made this border pass passable around 1820, you can now cycle there nicely. It was a fairly busy trade route that was mainly used for tourism after the arrival of the Bernardino and Gotthard tunnels. It is also not kept open in winter.

The Spluga immediately follows the Bernardino. It is just a little bit spicier than the Bernardino, but with an average of 7.3%, not a very big challenge for the pros. This penultimate climb in the Giro can make the difference for someone who still wants something with his classification. Attack here and give it your all on the last climb.

When the riders pass the top, they descend into Italy via numerous very tight hairpin bends. It is hoped that they will have as tight an asphalt surface on the descent as on the climb on the Swiss side. And that they do not have the same weather as in the Dolomites.

How much power do the top riders still have after three weeks of racing? Keep the COME keep an eye on them and check their performance. Compare and shudder at the difference with your own time.