Chairlift dedicated to the Giro d'Italia has opened on Monte Zoncolan - but misses out female winners

The Monte Zoncolan has opened its new ski chairlift dedicated to the Giro d'Italia, with each previous male winner on the mountain gaining a chair of honour. 

The new chairlift is bright pink, of course, with the Giro logo on the chairs as well as at the top and bottom.

The chairlift only takes in the six male winners of the mountain with two-time winner Gilberto Simoni as well as the single winners of Chris Froome, Igor Antón, Michael Rogers, Ivan Basso and Lorenzo Fortunato all getting a chair.

The two women to have won on the climb in the Giro Donne, Fabiana Luperini and Annemiek van Vleuten, are not included on the lift. 

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The chairlift carries skiers, and occasionally cycling fans, and was opened to the public on Saturday, December 4 with the last rider to win on the mountain, Lorenzo Fortunato (EOLO-Kometa), in attendance.

Fortunato said: "[I'm] delighted to inaugurate the "Giro d'Italia" chairlift on the legendary Mount Zoncolan. Many thanks."

Also at the event were cyclists Matteo Fabbro and Enrico Gasparotto as well as former footballer Gigi De Agostini with Basso joining by video link.

Most of the raced climbs have been from the harder Ovaro side with the men only facing the slightly 'easier' Sutrio side twice, for the first ascent in 2003 and the most recent in May of 2021. The women have raced once up both sides with the first being way back in 1997.

The fight for victory on the climb has always been about who had the best legs rather than tactics, with big attacks not being way but rather who can hold on for the longest time. 

Amazing moments have been seen on the climb with Chris Froome being chased by Simon Yates as Froome mounted the beginning of his amazing fight back to win the race overall as well as Rogers battling with Francesco Manuel Bongiorno to an astonishing win. 

It is not known when the race will return to the mountain nicknamed the 'Kaiser' but we have not seen the last of this brutal climb.