Bocchetta di Ferrera

Overview

Bocchetta di Ferrera is a Category 1 climb that asks for patience before it asks for power. It runs 19.3 km from a valley floor at 197 m up to a summit of 1243 m, a net gain of 1046 m. The average gradient of 5.42% sounds almost civilised, and for long stretches it is — but that number hides a viciously steep pitch that spikes to 28.22%. This is a climb where the headline figures and the lived experience diverge sharply, and reading it correctly is the difference between a controlled ascent and a blow-up.

How the Gradient Unfolds

At 19.3 km, this is a genuinely long climb, and length is the first thing to respect. A 5.42% average across that distance means the total ascent is 1043 m of climbing — close to the 1046 m net gain, which tells you the road climbs almost continuously with very little downhill relief to break it up. There is no coasting your way through the middle.

The defining feature is the max gradient of 28.22%. That is more than five times the average, a wall-like ramp that dwarfs everything around it. A single pitch that steep cannot be paced through with the same rhythm as the surrounding road — it demands a hard, deliberate effort, and then a recovery on the flatter grades that bracket it. Mentally divide the climb into the long sustained body at roughly the 5.42% average and the isolated steep ramp that punches well above it.

Pacing Notes

On a climb this long, discipline early pays dividends late. Anchor your effort to your FTP rather than to how fresh you feel in the opening kilometres — 19.3 km is long enough that an over-eager start will surface as leg-searing regret near the 1243 m summit. If you are unsure of your number, run it through the FTP estimator before you plan your climb.

Hold a steady sub-threshold effort through the sustained sections, and consciously reserve a match for the 28.22% ramp, where power spikes are unavoidable no matter how smoothly you ride. Recover on the gentler grades that follow rather than chasing lost time.

Gearing

The average of 5.42% is manageable on modest gearing, but the 28.22% maximum makes this a climb where you should bring more range than you think you need. A compact crankset paired with a wide cassette is the sensible choice. A 34×32 will get most riders up the sustained portions in reasonable comfort, but for the steep ramp — and for the accumulated fatigue of 1046 m of climbing — a 34×34 gives you the extra safety margin to keep spinning rather than grinding to a standstill. On a wall touching 28.22%, an easier gear is never wasted.

Summary

Bocchetta di Ferrera rewards riders who respect its length and prepare for its one brutal pitch. Pace to your FTP, save something for the 28.22% ramp, and gear low enough that 1046 m of ascent never forces you off the bike.

Length: 19.3 km
Average gradient: 5.42%
Max gradient: 28.22%
Start: 197 m
Summit: 1243 m
Net gain: 1046 m
Total ascent: 1043 m
Category: 1