This week’s video comes straight from Ardonno, Italy – the birthplace of Italy’s first 9b sport climb ‘Lapsus’, originally freed by Stefano Ghisolfi back in 2015. Although introducing with footage of Stefano on the route, this video focusses on the third ascent of the route, climbed by Ghisolfi’s fellow Italian and bicep toting, comp climbing team-mate, Marcello Bombardi. The route is wonderfully picturesque and first climbs ‘Noia’, an 8c+ in itself, which features a beautiful but rather heinous undercut cross-over crux sequence. Lapsus got its second ascent by non other than Adam Ondra back in 2017.

The premier Italian sport crags like Ardonno are often overlooked when we think of the best sport cliffs in the world with the Spanish haunts of Siurana and Margalef etc. usually taking the plaudits. This is reminiscent of Ghisolfi himself who, although one the best sport climbers in the world, is frequently forgotten about when we think of the very best our sport has to offer – Ondra and Megos get most of the recognition here. It could be said that Ardonno and Ghisolfi are, in their own way, the fifth Beatle. But, this video serves as a reminder of just how brilliant Stefano is, much like his beautiful Italian crags which deserve a bit more recognition too.