Giogo Veranis

Overview

Giogo Veranis is a short, savage HC climb — the hardest category on the scale, ahead of 1, 2, 3, and 4. Over just 7.1 km it averages a punishing 14.22%, hauling you from 913 m at the base to 1921 m at the summit. That is a net gain of 1008 m in the space of a single-digit distance, and it earns its hors catégorie rating on gradient alone rather than length. This is not a climb you settle into; it is one you survive.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The defining number here is the 14.22% average. On most climbs that figure is diluted by flatter recovery stretches, but with a max gradient of 25.26% you should expect the road to spend long periods well above the mean rather than dipping below it. Ramps approaching 25.26% will feel near-vertical, especially deep into the effort, and the gap between the 14.22% average and that 25.26% peak tells you the pitch swings hard. The total ascent of 918 m against a net gain of 1008 m confirms the profile climbs almost relentlessly upward, with little of the descending that would inflate total ascent above net gain. In practice: brace for a wall that rarely relents.

Pacing Notes

On a climb this steep, pacing is about power management, not speed. Anchor your effort to your FTP and accept that the 25.26% ramps will spike you well over threshold no matter how disciplined you are — the goal is to keep the average pitch sustainable so those spikes do not blow you apart. If you are unsure of your threshold, run the numbers first with the FTP estimator. Start conservatively: with 7.1 km at 14.22% ahead of you, there is no early section soft enough to justify going deep. Save something for the steepest pitches, where holding traction and cadence matters more than raw watts.

Gearing

Gear for the gradient, not your ego. On a 14.22% average with 25.26% maximums, a standard road setup will leave you grinding. A compact 34-tooth chainring paired with a 34×32 is the sensible floor here, and many riders will be far happier with 34×34 to keep the legs spinning through the steepest ramps. If you can fit an even easier ratio than 34×34, take it — the difference between surviving and stalling on a 25.26% pitch is often one or two extra sprockets. Cadence preservation is the whole game on a climb this steep.

Summary

Giogo Veranis is a compact HC beast: 7.1 km, an average that never lets up, and ramps that force respect. Come with light gearing, a measured start, and no illusions about the pitch.

Length 7.1 km
Average gradient 14.22%
Max gradient 25.26%
Start 913 m
Summit 1921 m
Net gain 1008 m
Total ascent 918 m
Category HC