Gavia Pass
Encyclopedia
Gavia Pass (el. 2621 m.) is a high mountain pass
in the Italian
Alps
. It is the tenth highest paved road in the Alps.
The pass lies in the Lombardy
region and divides the province of Sondrio
to the north and the province of Brescia
to the south. The road over the pass (SS 300) connects Bormio
to the northwest with Ponte di Legno
to the south and is single track most on its southern section.
road bicycle race and is sometimes designated the Cima Coppi
, the highest point of the race. On 5 June 1988, the race passed over the Gavia in a snowstorm, making for an epic stage won by Erik Breukink
. American Andrew Hampsten
, the second place finisher, became the overall race leader and went on to win the Giro.
Mountain pass
A mountain pass is a route through a mountain range or over a ridge. If following the lowest possible route, a pass is locally the highest point on that route...
in the Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
Alps
Alps
The Alps is one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany to France in the west....
. It is the tenth highest paved road in the Alps.
The pass lies in the Lombardy
Lombardy
Lombardy is one of the 20 regions of Italy. The capital is Milan. One-sixth of Italy's population lives in Lombardy and about one fifth of Italy's GDP is produced in this region, making it the most populous and richest region in the country and one of the richest in the whole of Europe...
region and divides the province of Sondrio
Sondrio
Sondrio is an Italian town and comune located in the heart of the Valtellina. Sondrio counts approximately 22,000 inhabitants and it is the administrative centre for the Lombard Province of Sondrio.- History :...
to the north and the province of Brescia
Brescia
Brescia is a city and comune in the region of Lombardy in northern Italy. It is situated at the foot of the Alps, between the Mella and the Naviglio, with a population of around 197,000. It is the second largest city in Lombardy, after the capital, Milan...
to the south. The road over the pass (SS 300) connects Bormio
Bormio
Bormio is a town and comune located in the province of Sondrio, Lombardy region of the Alps in northern Italy. It has a population of 4,200...
to the northwest with Ponte di Legno
Ponte di Legno
Ponte di Legno is an Italian comune of 1816 inhabitants in Val Camonica, province of Brescia, in Lombardy.-History:...
to the south and is single track most on its southern section.
Giro d'Italia
The Gavia Pass is often on the route of the Giro d'ItaliaGiro d'Italia
The Giro d'Italia , also simply known as The Giro, is a long distance road bicycle racing stage race for professional cyclists held over three weeks in May/early June in and around Italy. The Giro is one of the three Grand Tours , and is part of the UCI World Ranking calendar...
road bicycle race and is sometimes designated the Cima Coppi
Cima Coppi
The Cima Coppi is the highest altitude reached by the passage of cyclists during the course of the Giro d'Italia. It was established in 1965, five years after the death of the "champion" Fausto Coppi.- Past Cima Coppi's :...
, the highest point of the race. On 5 June 1988, the race passed over the Gavia in a snowstorm, making for an epic stage won by Erik Breukink
Erik Breukink
Erik Breukink is a former professional road racing cyclist. In 1988, Breukink won the youth competition in the Tour de France. In 1990, Breukink reached the podium in Paris, finishing 3rd in the 1990 Tour de France...
. American Andrew Hampsten
Andrew Hampsten
Andrew Hampsten is an American former professional road bicycle racer who won the 1988 Giro d'Italia and the Alpe d'Huez stage of the 1992 Tour de France.-Career highlights:...
, the second place finisher, became the overall race leader and went on to win the Giro.
See also
- List of highest paved roads in Europe
- List of mountain passes