Campogrosso pass

Overview

Campogrosso pass is a long, sustained category 1 climb that rewards patience and punishes ambition. Over 21.2 km you gain 1232 m of net elevation, rising from 222 m at the base to a 1454 m summit. The average gradient reads a moderate 5.8%, but that figure hides the climb's real character: with a maximum pitch of 16.16%, this is a road that alternates between steady tempo stretches and sharp ramps that force you out of your comfort zone.

At 21.2 km it is firmly a big-effort day. The total ascent of 1210 m sits just below the net gain of 1232 m, which tells you the climbing is almost entirely one-directional — very little descending or false flat to recover on. You climb, and you keep climbing.

How the Gradient Unfolds

Think of Campogrosso as a climb of two truths. The 5.8% average would suggest a rhythm you can hold all day, and for long sections that is exactly what it is. But the gap between that average and the 16.16% maximum is the story worth reading. A climb averaging under 6% that spikes above 16% is not evenly graded — it stacks easier stretches against short, steep walls.

With 1232 m to gain over 21.2 km, the math works out to a relentless drip of altitude. There is no single monster wall that defines the effort; instead, the difficulty is cumulative. The steep ramps arrive, bite, and release, and it is the repetition across more than twenty kilometres that wears riders down rather than any one pitch.

Pacing Notes

The key to Campogrosso is discipline in the first half. On a climb this long, going too hard early costs you far more than it gains. Anchor your effort to your FTP and aim to sit comfortably below threshold on the steady 5.8% sections, saving headroom for the 16.16% ramps where your power will naturally spike whether you want it to or not.

If you do not know your threshold, run the numbers through the FTP estimator before you go — it changes how you read every gradient on the page. A rider who paces to their real threshold on a 21.2 km climb finishes strong; a rider who guesses usually blows before the summit.

Gearing

For a 21.2 km climb with pitches touching 16.16%, gearing is not a luxury — it is the difference between spinning and grinding to a halt. A compact 34-tooth inner chainring is the sensible starting point. Pair it with a 34×32 as a baseline for the steep sections, which keeps your cadence alive on the sustained 5.8% grades and gives you a fighting chance on the ramps.

If your legs are not race-fit, or you simply want insurance against the 16.16% wall late in a 1232 m day, go one step easier with a 34×34. That extra sprocket buys you the ability to stay seated and turning the pedals when the road kicks up, rather than stalling out and unclipping.

Summary

Campogrosso pass is a genuine test: 21.2 km of near-continuous climbing, a 1232 m net gain, and a 16.16% sting that keeps it honest. Pace it to your threshold, gear it low, and let the 5.8% average do its quiet, cumulative work.

Length: 21.2 km
Average gradient: 5.8%
Max gradient: 16.16%
Start: 222 m
Summit: 1454 m
Net gain: 1232 m
Total ascent: 1210 m
Category: 1