Mauria Pass

What to Expect on Mauria Pass

Mauria Pass is a Category 2 climb in Italy that earns its classification through a combination of sustained effort and at least one genuinely savage ramp. At 7.7 km from base to summit, it is long enough to demand disciplined pacing from the first kilometre, but short enough that blowing up early is an easy mistake to make.

The headline numbers: 6.75% average gradient, 523 m of net elevation gain, and a maximum gradient of 24.82%. That gap between average and maximum tells you something important — the road is not uniform. The 828 m of total ascent recorded against a 523 m net gain confirms the road pitches and rolls rather than climbing in a straight line, meaning you accumulate more vertical work than the summit-to-base figure alone suggests.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The climb begins from 777 m elevation. With an average of 6.75%, most of the road sits in a range that rewards smooth, controlled power output — uncomfortable but manageable for a rider who knows their FTP and respects it.

The 24.82% maximum gradient is the outlier. A pitch that steep is not a gradient you can simply push through on momentum; it demands either a gear low enough to maintain cadence or the kind of short, sharp effort that will cost you later if the summit is still several kilometres away. Identifying where this ramp sits on the road — and whether it comes early, mid-climb, or near the top — is worth researching before your first attempt.

The difference between total ascent (828 m) and net gain (523 m) also indicates there are descending or flat sections embedded in the climb. These are not rest points in the usual sense. Use them to bring heart rate down and reset breathing, but avoid freewheel-and-coast behaviour that lets muscles cool and legs stiffen before the next rise.

Pacing Notes

• Start conservatively. 6.75% average means the climb can seduce you into an effort that feels sustainable until the road steepens.
• Target a steady power output in the range of 95–105% of your threshold for the overall duration. Use a power meter or FTP estimate to set a ceiling before you start.
• Anticipate the 24.82% ramp. If you hit it already deep in the red, your options narrow fast. Save a small power reserve for it.
• Use the embedded flat or descent sections to recover actively — keep legs turning, keep breathing controlled.
• Gearing: A compact or sub-compact chainset is a practical choice. On a 24.82% gradient, even fit riders will want a 32- or 34-tooth rear sprocket available. Running out of gears on a pitch that steep is a problem that is easy to avoid and painful not to.

Category Context

Category 2 is a meaningful classification. This is not a climb you treat as a warm-up or a threshold opener. It sits below the highest tier but demands full preparation: adequate fuelling before the base, hydration through the ascent, and a realistic sense of where your threshold power sits on the day.

For riders building toward harder climbs, Mauria Pass represents a solid benchmark — sustained enough to test endurance, spiked enough to test strength.