The best cycling routes around Prato Carnico

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one of the historic refuges of friuli, absolutely worth going there

The twin races of the Granfondo Carnia Classic Fuji-Zoncolan in Italy and the Mt. Fuji Hillclimb in Japan were a practical manifestation of this partnership. This enabled the creation of a unique, bicontinental destination for amateurs, where they tackled the extreme intensity and gradients of Monte Zoncolan on the one hand, and the long, endurance climb of Majestic Fuji on the other, gaining global recognition for conquering the iconic 1,200-meter vertical drop on both sides of the globe.

The main reason for the partnership is the similar elevation gain experienced by cyclists on both routes. The climb to Zoncolan from Ovaro requires approximately 1,210 meters of elevation gain. Similarly, the popular Subaru Toll Road leading to Mount Fuji requires approximately 1,250 meters of elevation gain. However, the difference in scale is important: Zoncolan is extremely concentrated (about 10 km of very challenging climbing – at one point, you're climbing a 22% gradient), while the climb to Fuji is long and gentle (about 25 km, with an average gradient of 5%). The partnership focused on the vertical gain.

The "Zoncolan Mt. Fuji" sign at the wooden starting arch in Ovaro symbolizes the international twin-mountain partnership, initiated around 2015 to promote cycling tourism in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region. The Italian province of Carnia and the Japanese prefecture of Shizuoka have announced an official gemellaggio, linking the iconic Alpine mountain of Zoncolan with Japan's majestic sacred Mount Fuji.

In addition to its role as a cycling arena, Monte Zoncolan is a multi-purpose tourist destination. In winter, you can enjoy downhill runs of varying difficulty (ranging from blue to black). The Zoncolan Ski Area offers a variety of challenging trails (both fast technical sections and steep walls), making it ideal for slalom and giant slalom training. The location in Friuli-Venezia Giulia offers good snow conditions, but also a relatively quiet base – fewer tourists than in the Dolomites. Modern infrastructure (the Ravascletto–Zoncolan gondola and artificial snowmaking system) allows for regular training even in inclement weather. If you visit Ravascletto in winter, it's not unusual to see sections of the trails marked "chiuso per allenamento" (closed for training) – a sign that national teams or clubs are training there. In summer, you can enjoy a network of trails of varying difficulty—from family walks to challenging mountain treks. The areas are well-marked and have infrastructure (huts, rifuges, viewpoints).

Among the many cycling greats on the plaques on the Zoncolan climb is a photo of Eddie Merckx – considered the greatest cyclist in history. Interestingly, Merckx never raced the Zoncolan (this pass didn't make its Giro debut until 2003), but his portrait is displayed there as a symbol of the entire Giro d'Italia and cycling legend – alongside photos of riders who actually won this climb. Merckx, a five-time Giro and Tour de France winner, is cited by many route writers as the "greatest name" among the cyclists immortalized on these commemorative plaques.

Gilberto Simoni has the most stage wins on Monte Zoncolan in the history of the Giro d’Italia – two wins, in 2003 and 2007. No other cyclist has repeated this result.