▁gradient ▁of ▁ 1 0 ▁percent , ▁and ▁the ▁Pass o ▁di ▁G avia , ▁known ▁for ▁being ▁clim bed ▁during ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 8 ▁G iro ▁d ' Italia ▁in ▁the ▁middle ▁of ▁a ▁driving ▁bl izz ard . ▁The ▁G avia ▁was ▁also ▁the ▁C ima ▁Co ppi , ▁the ▁race ' s ▁highest ▁point , ▁and ▁Stage ▁ 2 0 , ▁in ▁which ▁it ▁featured , ▁was ▁considered ▁the ▁queen ▁stage . ▁Other ▁clim bs ▁during ▁the ▁race ▁included ▁the ▁Pass o ▁del ▁Br at ello , ▁Monte ▁Gra ppa , ▁the ▁Pass o ▁delle ▁Pal ade , ▁the ▁Pass o ▁di ▁Santa ▁Crist ina , ▁the ▁For cola ▁di ▁Liv ign o , ▁and ▁the ▁last ▁clim b ▁of ▁the ▁race , ▁the ▁Pass o ▁del ▁Ton ale . ▁Most ▁of ▁these ▁clim bs ▁also ▁featured ▁difficult ▁desc ents . ▁ ▁The ▁route ▁was ▁noted ▁to ▁appeal ▁to ▁many ▁types ▁of ▁rid ers , ▁be ▁they ▁clim bers , ▁spr inter s , ▁or ▁time ▁trial ists . ▁The ▁race ▁had ▁seven ▁flat ▁stages ▁which ▁figured ▁into ▁end ▁in ▁mass ▁s print s , ▁and ▁the ▁h illy ▁mixed ▁stages ▁were ▁inv iting ▁for ▁break aw ays . ▁S ast re , ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁rid ers ▁to ▁announ ce ▁he ▁would ▁ride ▁the ▁G iro , ▁commented ▁that ▁the ▁route ▁was ▁much ▁harder ▁than ▁that ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁G iro , ▁and ▁would ▁demand ▁a ▁very ▁strong ▁clim ber ▁to ▁be