Passo Gavia will always be remembered for Andy Hampsten's 1988 attack in a snowstorm that set up his Giro d'Italia win, but the history of this climb is much older, and today marks the 60th anniversary of its first ascent in the Giro d'Italia. It has become one of the most iconic climbs of the Corsa Rosa and cycling.

On June 8, 1960, the Giro d'Italia climbed the Passo Gavia in a 229 km stage that included the Campo Carlo Magno and the Passo del Tonale, with Jacques Anquetil, Gastone Nencini and Charles Gaulle vying for the overall win.

Passo Gavia became an iconic legend in a single day.

This Passo Gavia was the last chance to attack Anquetil and take the pink jersey, and 23-year-old Italian Imerio Massignan was not afraid to hunt down the Frenchman.

Massignan was the first man to reach the summit of Gavia while riding on the rocky dirt road, earning him the nickname "Angel of Gavia." However, three punctures on the winding descent doomed his moment of glory and his chances for overall victory.

"It was a truly unforgettable day," Massignan recalled in conversation with the Pontedileno Tonale Consortium, which promotes cycling and hiking routes in the area.

"At the time, few of us knew anything about Gavia, and we had done no prior reconnaissance. It was gravel and stone on all sides, a six-meter-high wall of snow on one side and a cliff on the other.

"That day I felt like Fausto Coppi, who died in the early 1960s. Behind me, the other riders were being pushed by the fans, trying to somehow reach the summit. From that moment on, the name Massignan became inseparable from Gavia.

Tragically for Massignan, a series of punctures on the descent to Bormio ended his dream of winning the Giro d'Italia.

"I could have won the Giro, and the gap to my rivals was huge. With Legnano's team car burning out my clutch and no neutral bike assist, I suffered three punctures in the gravel. I managed to fix two of the punctures myself, but then I was caught and passed at the finish. I managed to catch him because I was going for the stage win, but just 300 meters from the finish in Bormio, I got a third flat tire. Gaulle saw me and came after me for the win. After the finish, I burst into tears and I still regret that day."

Massignan finished fourth overall in Milan behind Anquetil and Nencini, just 15 seconds behind the third-place finisher.

The Gavia Pass always has an impact on the Maria Rosa contenders. At 2,621 meters, it is the third highest climb in the Giro d'Italia, surpassed only by the Passo dello Stelvio at 2,757 meters and the Passo della Aniello at 2,748 meters.

Passo Gavia has been climbed 14 times in the history of the Giro d'Italia, and the steep, narrow roads at the summit and the often inclement weather make for a great day of racing. Unfortunately, due to the danger of avalanches and avalanches, the 2019 Giro d'Italia and Giro Rosa have been cancelled in July due to the risk of landslides and fresh snow on the summit, even in July.

Extreme weather protocols have been introduced and protection for riders and the public has been strengthened, including Massignan's lone attack and the snow day in 1988 when Hampsten scored his Giro d'Italia victory, Franco Chioccioli lost his pink jersey and allegedly finished the stage in the team car. A day as spectacular as the day when a number of riders allegedly froze to the point of delirium or delirium is unlikely to occur.

Johan van der Velde was the first to attack on the summit of Passo Gavia that day and fought his way through the blizzard. Unlike Hampsten and the others, however, he received little help from his team and froze on the treacherous descent, losing 46 minutes.

"Everyone knew it was going to be a hard climb, but nobody knew how hard it was, neither the riders nor the coach," Hampsten recalled to Pro Cycling magazine a few years ago.

"Everyone was freaked out. Because I had already stopped shaking on the previous descent. All day it was just rain and snow. Some people were saying, "Don't attack." Conditions were terrible. The racers really wanted to slow the race down.

"I could see people were scared, so I said to myself, 'I'm not going to attack. Save 5% for the downhill and go for it. I could see a lot of people were anxious, so I attacked at the bottom."

"7-Eleven was the only team that had enough warm clothing. They packed a musette bag with enough warm clothes for all the riders and waited at the top. The team had gone ski store shopping before the stage, buying wool hats, Gore-Tex ski gloves and diving gloves. They bought every useful item they could think of.

"Prior to that day, there were no rain bags--bags with winter and rain gear for the riders to carry in the team cars in case of unforeseen circumstances. This was a 7-Eleven innovation. (Sportif general manager) Mike Neal also gave us a pep talk. He sat us down and said this is our day. It was snowing there, but the race is still on. [We had to go 25km downhill in freezing snow and sleet. It was the hardest thing I've ever done. Everyone who crossed the finish line that day had to dig incredibly deep. When you talk to the other racers today, it's never, "Oh, that racer did this" or "Bleukinck won." It's, "Wow, you were on Gavia in '88."

After the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, travel is now possible throughout Italy, and travel to many parts of Europe is expected after June 15.

Stelvio National Park has scheduled motor vehicle traffic restrictions on major climbs in the area, including Passo Gavia, on July 26 and August 30. The Passo del Mortillo will be closed on July 24, the climb to Laghi di Cancano on August 28, Passo will be reserved for cyclists, and the 20th Scalata Cima Coppi will be held on August 29.