Change 2009 - NAM3 San Pietro Tore-Colli di Teresinella

When I climbed it in 1992, it was called San Petro and situated between Positano and Meta on the SS163. Coming from Meta, in the village, the road at right climbs again to Poicco San'Angelo before the downhill to Sant Angelo. Now it is on an end-way road near Massa Lubrense. Old one and new one are reaching the same altitude.

En 1992, le BIG que j'ai grimpé s'appelait San Pietro et était situé sur la route SS163. Au Col en venant de Meta prendre à droite, la route continue à grimper jusqu'au Picco San Angelo, avant de redescendre sur Sant Angelo. Maintenant le site situe le BIG sur un cul de sac près de Massa Lubrense. L'ancien et le nouveau arrivent à la même altitude.

info : see altimetrie and planimétrie
www.gazzetta.it/ssi/2008/boxes/giro2009/sito/fr_tappa_19.shtml

It seems that the challenge is to find the place rather than get the top !!!

The name of the climb endpoint is not reported in the map (1:80000) and also in the most detailed tourist guides. It is easy to be wrong because S. Pietro is a very frequent name in Surrento Peninsula.
The is San Pietro just east of Positano and Colli S. Pietro at the crossroad of SS 163 from Positano or Piano di Sorrento (Meta) and SS 145 from west of Sorrento and S. Agata dei due Golfi. In addition there is also a famous church San Pietro and a remnant of an abbey San Pietro in two small villages of S. Agata. So if you ask S. Pietro to local people you can be sent in different places.

In the map the arrival and foot are totally mispositioned and also the commentary (in the description section ) and photo by Carrera describe a totally different place (Monte S. Costanzo 497 m). However the text in the section "our way" is correct (!)

Also the text information in the generalities is correct except for the foot from Sorrento (Meta or Piano di Sorrento is better).

Actually the endpoint is Le Tore (not S. Pietro Tore) which is a farm house and B&B and is about 500 m above sea level. The highest point of SS 145 is 470 m at about 500 m before turning left from Colli San Pietro (only San Pietro in the map). The arrival of this climb is a private house which is found at the end of via Le Tore which is at east of S. Agata dei due Golfi. You can find via Le Tore on the map. Colli S. Pietro is about 5.5 km from le Tore.


I made this road few times some years ago. It is very beautiful but I have doubts (already expressed during the 2007 review) for the choice of this BIG. If a cyclist goes to Monte Faito he probably wants to see Positano and Sorrento and make this marvellous road.
So this BIG is to be removed in favour of new one

Gabriele

Etienne provided a correct location of San Pietro which is different from the profiles and photo for this BIG. Tore is another place which is 200 m higher.

The place San Pietro as indicated by Etienne is about 300 m (9 km from the foot) but going west the road go upper. It is not the end of the climb. The highest point is Tore (> 500 m)

I think this BIG caused so many problems and should be removed

San Biagio di Maratea (624 m form the sea !) could be a great substitute also for the scenic road

Gabriele

Picco Sant'Angelo is again another place which is between S. Pietro (east) e Tore (west).

From Picco Sant'Angelo which is the highest point on SS 145 you can descend in 12.6 km to Sorrento and then S. Agnello (14,5 km).

I think Etienne reached S. Pietro ( 311 m) then Colli di Fontanelle (343 m)and then you turned right to descend directly to S. Agnello without passing Picco Sant'Angelo (478 m).

From Positano to Picco Sant'Angelo there is 14.3 km at 3.3% and two descents. A nice road but not a real climb for that area !

If we move from Tore-San Pietro to Picco Sant'Angelo we would change the name, the foots, the distances and we keep only the area (Costa Amalfitana).

A good alternative to San Pietro which has caused many problems (photos from different places!!!) could be San Biagio di Maratea, which is a beautiful climb in Basilicata. At the top there is the moument of the Redentore which for size is second to Rio de Janeiro !

This is the link for some photos !
http://www.fotoeweb.it/Maratea/Maratea%20Castello.htm

Costa Amalfitana is already represented by Monte Faito ! San Pietro (or Picco Sant'Angelo) is a scenic road not a climb!

In Italy there are impressive place for cyclists like 5 Terre (east of Liguria) which are not represented in the BIG despite beautiful and very hard climbs