Bocchino delle Meraviglie

Overview

Bocchino delle Meraviglie is a long, patient category 1 ascent that trades savage steepness for sheer endurance. Over 26.5 km you climb from a near-sea-level start of 13 m to a summit of 1189 m, a net elevation gain of 1176 m. The average gradient of 4.45% sounds gentle, and for long passages it is — but the total ascent of 1304 m tells the truer story. That extra 128 m over the net figure means the road dips and rolls, forcing you to reclaim height you thought you had banked. This is a climb measured in half-hours, not minutes.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The defining feature here is the gap between the 4.45% average and the 14.02% maximum. A climb that averages under 5% but spikes above 14% is not uniform — it is a climb of contrasts. Expect long tempo stretches where the road ticks along a couple of points below average, lulling you into a rhythm, then abrupt ramps that briefly triple the effort. Because the net gain (1176 m) sits below the total ascent (1304 m), there are false flats and short descents woven through the 26.5 km, each one a small reset of momentum. The 14.02% pitches are the moments that break a poorly judged pace; everything else is manageable if you arrive at them fresh.

Pacing Notes

On a climb this long, discipline beats bravado. Anchor your effort to a percentage of your FTP and hold it through the mellow sections rather than surging — you will need that headroom when the gradient jumps toward 14.02%. Treat the below-average stretches as active recovery, spinning a little lighter so your legs are ready for the ramps. If you do not know your threshold, run the numbers first with the FTP estimator so you can pin a realistic wattage to a 26.5 km effort. The riders who suffer least here are the ones who leave something in reserve for the final third, where fatigue and the steepest pitches tend to coincide.

Gearing

With sustained climbing to 1189 m and ramps to 14.02%, gear for the spikes, not the average. A compact 34-tooth chainring paired with a wide-range cassette is the sensible baseline. A 34×32 will carry most riders through the tempo sections and let you grind the harder pitches seated. If you climb at lower cadence, run big miles, or simply want insurance against the 14.02% ramps late in a 26.5 km day, step up to a 34×34 — the extra sprocket keeps your cadence alive when the road bites and your legs are already deep into the 1176 m of gain.

Summary

Bocchino delle Meraviglie rewards patience and honest pacing. The 4.45% average flatters a climb that hides 14.02% ramps and rolls enough to stack 1304 m of total ascent into 26.5 km. Gear conservatively, meter your effort against threshold, and respect the length.

Length: 26.5 km
Average gradient: 4.45%
Max gradient: 14.02%
Start: 13 m
Summit: 1189 m
Net gain: 1176 m
Total ascent: 1304 m
Category: 1