Bocchetta di Corna Piana

Overview

Bocchetta di Corna Piana is one of the long ones. At 28.6 km it is less a hill than an expedition, dragging you from a valley floor at 416 m all the way up to a summit at 2049 m. The headline average of 5.71% sounds civil enough on paper, and for stretches it genuinely is — but that number hides a summit ramp of 22.26% and enough undulation to keep the total ascent (1812 m) well above the straight net gain of 1633 m. That gap of 179 m is the tell: this climb rolls, dips, and claws its way skyward rather than climbing in one clean line. It carries the HC label, the hardest classification there is, and it earns it through sheer duration.

How the Gradient Unfolds

Read the profile as a story of patience. Because the net gain is 1633 m over 28.6 km, but the total ascent is 1812 m, you are paying for roughly 179 m of climbing that you will surrender again to short descents and false flats along the way. That means the true climbing pitches are steeper than the 5.71% average suggests. The gentler lower slopes lull you into rhythm; the danger is spending too much early. The defining feature is the 22.26% wall — a gradient that turns spinning into survival and demands you arrive with legs still in reserve. Expect the difficulty to stack toward the upper reaches, where thin air near 2049 m compounds every percent of slope.

Pacing Notes

On a climb this long, discipline beats bravado. Anchor your effort to a percentage of your FTP rather than to how you feel in the first few kilometres, because the first few kilometres always lie. If you do not have a recent number, run one through the FTP estimator before you commit to a target. For 28.6 km of sustained work, most riders will want to sit comfortably below threshold on the shallower sections, banking energy for the 22.26% ramp near the top where wattage spikes whether you like it or not. Climbing from 416 m to 2049 m takes long enough that fuelling matters as much as fitness — start eating early, drink often, and treat the summit as the finish line it is.

Gearing

Gear for the wall, not the average. A 5.71% mean is spinnable on almost anything, but the 22.26% maximum is what wrecks unprepared drivetrains. A compact chainring paired with a wide-range cassette is the sensible baseline: a 34×32 will get most trained riders over the steep sections, while a 34×34 buys precious extra cadence for the summit ramp and the final metres approaching 2049 m. Given the 28.6 km length and 1812 m of total ascent, err toward the easier gear — you will never regret a spare sprocket on a climb this long.

Summary

Bocchetta di Corna Piana is a true HC test: long, high, and stinging at the top. Pace it by the numbers, gear for the 22.26% wall, and respect the full 28.6 km.

Length 28.6 km
Average gradient 5.71%
Max gradient 22.26%
Start 416 m
Summit 2049 m
Net gain 1633 m
Total ascent 1812 m
Category HC