Rapha are doing it again..

Directed by Ben Ingham

Colle delle Finestre

• Length: 18.6 km
• Height gain: 1694m
• Maximum gradient: 12%

“On the photoshoot for the new Rapha Autumn/Winter range we took our riders on to the steep, scarred and historic slopes of the Colle delle Finestre, the ‘Hill of Windows’. This climb, somewhat hidden beneath the reputations of other cols, is as tough as it is visually striking. The Piedmontese military engineered the roads here in the days before Italian unification, building a string of forts to safeguard the region.”

The scene of the climax to the Giro d’Italia 2011, the Finestre first featured in the Tour of Italy in 2005, when Danilo Di Luca made light work of its difficult terrain and punishing gradient. Whether it’s tackled by a pro at the peak of a grand tour, or an amateur pushing themselves to the very limit, this climb is formidable.

The Hidden Alps from Rapha on Vimeo.