Bocchetta di Padaro

Overview

Bocchetta di Padaro is a short, savage wall of a climb. In just 2.9 km it drags you from a start elevation of 88 m up to a 427 m summit, a net gain of 339 m. That arithmetic tells the whole story: an average gradient of 11.59% is not a climb you settle into — it is one you survive. Rated category 2, it sits two rungs below hors catégorie, but do not let the label fool you. Length is the only thing keeping this off the hardest list. Pound for pound, the slope here is as steep as anything you will ride.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The defining feature of Padaro is relentlessness. With an average of 11.59% and a maximum of 14.84%, the difference between the typical ramp and the hardest one is barely three percentage points — there is nowhere to hide and nowhere to recover. This is not a climb of alternating steep pitches and flat breathers; it is a sustained double-digit grind that rarely lets the gradient drop into a range you would call comfortable. The 339 m of net gain packed into 2.9 km means the road tilts up almost the entire way, with the steepest 14.84% sections biting hardest where the slope refuses to ease.

Pacing Notes

On a climb this short and this steep, pacing is really about not blowing up in the first few hundred metres. The temptation is to attack the lower slopes while the legs feel fresh, but at 11.59% average you will pay for every over-effort long before the 427 m summit. Ride it just below your threshold. Knowing your FTP is the key here: hold a wattage you can sustain for the full 2.9 km rather than chasing a number you can only manage for two minutes. If you have not tested recently, run the numbers through the FTP estimator before you commit. On a climb where the max touches 14.84%, a few watts of discipline early buys you a lot of survival late.

Gearing

Gear for the slope, not the length. With an average of 11.59% and ramps to 14.84%, most riders will want the easiest cassette they can bolt on. A compact 34-tooth chainring paired with a 34×32 setup is the sensible starting point, and if your legs or your loaded weight suggest otherwise, step up to a 34×34 for extra margin on the steepest pitches. There is no shame in spinning — cadence is your friend when the road is this steep. Grinding a big gear up 14.84% ramps is the fastest route to cramping. Give yourself the low gear and keep the pedals turning.

Summary

Bocchetta di Padaro proves that a climb does not need distance to hurt. At 2.9 km it is over quickly, but the 11.59% average and 14.84% max make every one of those metres count. Come with low gears, a disciplined pace, and respect for what 339 m of climbing in so little road really means.

Length: 2.9 km
Average gradient: 11.59%
Max gradient: 14.84%
Start: 88 m
Summit: 427 m
Net gain: 339 m
Total ascent: 304 m
Category: 2