Muretto Pass

Overview

Muretto Pass is a genuine hors catégorie test. Over 26.4 km the road lifts you from a valley floor at 308 m all the way to a 2147 m summit, a net gain of 1839 m earned across an average gradient of 6.96%. The category tells you everything: HC sits above the numbered ratings of 1 through 4, reserved for climbs that are simply too long and too steep to slot into a tidy box. This is one of them.

What makes Muretto Pass so demanding is not a single wall but the sheer scale. Nearly every kilometre asks for sustained effort, and the total ascent of 1808 m confirms there is very little respite built into the profile. You do not sprint up a climb like this; you settle in and pay the toll one pedal stroke at a time.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The headline average of 6.96% is honest but gentle-sounding compared to what the road actually throws at you. Buried in the profile is a max gradient of 26.91%, a pitch steep enough to force you out of the saddle and into survival mode. That figure is more than triple the average, so the climb is far from uniform.

Expect the slope to breathe. Long stretches close to the average are punctuated by sharper ramps, and because the difference between the 308 m start and the 2147 m summit is so large, the character of the road shifts as you gain altitude. The gap between net gain (1839 m) and total ascent (1808 m) is small, which means the climb rarely gives back what you have won — once you are up, you tend to stay up.

Pacing Notes

On a climb of 26.4 km, discipline beats bravado. Anchor your effort to your FTP and treat the early kilometres as an investment, not a race. Going too hard before the 26.91% pitch will leave nothing in reserve when the road turns vertical.

A good rule of thumb is to hold a steady sub-threshold power on the average sections and only dip into higher intensity where the gradient genuinely forces it. If you are unsure of your number, run through the FTP estimator before you commit to a pacing plan. With 1839 m of climbing ahead of you, the cost of a bad opening 30 minutes compounds all the way to 2147 m.

Gearing

Do not under-gear this one. For most riders tackling an HC climb of 6.96% average with ramps up to 26.91%, a compact 34-tooth chainring paired with a wide cassette is the sensible baseline. A 34×32 works for strong climbers who can turn a bigger gear at low cadence, but the 26.91% max is where a 34×34 earns its keep — that extra sprocket lets you keep spinning instead of grinding to a stall.

If you can fit even more range, take it. Over 26.4 km your legs will thank you for every tooth that keeps your cadence up and your knees comfortable.

Summary

Muretto Pass is long, steep, and unforgiving — a climb defined by its scale rather than any single feature. Pace it with your FTP in mind, gear low enough to survive the worst pitch, and respect the full 26.4 km.

Length: 26.4 km
Average gradient: 6.96%
Max gradient: 26.91%
Start: 308 m
Summit: 2147 m
Net gain: 1839 m
Total ascent: 1808 m
Category: HC