Côte de Saint-Nicolas

Côte de Saint-Nicolas
Top of the Côte de Saint-Nicolas during the Liège-Bastogne-Liège amateur challenge
Elevation	102 m (335 ft)
Location	Wallonia Belgium
Start	Saint-Nicolas, Liège
Altitude	173 m (568 ft)
Length	1,420 m (4,660 ft)
Average gradient	7.6 %
Maximum gradient	13 %

Coordinates: 50°38′26″N 5°32′19″E / 50.64056°N 5.53861°E / 50.64056; 5.53861

The Côte de Saint-Nicolas is a climb in the municipality of Saint-Nicolas in Belgium. It is often included in the Liège–Bastogne–Liège cycling classic, where it comes as one of the last difficulties, at approximately 6 km from the finish in the neighbouring municipality of Ans. With a length of 1.4 km at an average gradient of 7.6%, it is often a decisive site of the race.

The climb is nicknamed The Italian Hill, because of the composition of its immigrant population and their descendants – often from Sicily and the South of Italy. Their presence is particularly expressed by the many Italian flags hanging outside the windows, especially during race day of Liège–Bastogne–Liège.