Oppio Pass

Overview

Oppio Pass is a 21 km climb that trades brute steepness for stamina. The road starts at just 73 m and finishes at 824 m, a net gain of 751 m. On paper the 3.58% average gradient sounds gentle, and for long stretches it is — but that number is an average, and averages lie. Buried inside the climb is a max pitch of 19.1%, steep enough to force a hard tempo rider out of the saddle in a single pedal stroke. With a total ascent of 815 m against 751 m of net gain, the route also rolls: there are dips and false flats that give back a little height before demanding it again. That combination — long, mostly shallow, but spiked — is what earns it a Category 2 rating.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The gap between the 3.58% average and the 19.1% maximum tells the whole story of this climb's shape. The extra 64 m of ascent beyond the 751 m net gain (815 m total) confirms the road is not a clean ramp; it sags and recovers. Expect long, low-percentage sections where you can settle into a rhythm and cover ground efficiently, punctuated by short, sharp kickers that briefly spike toward that 19.1% ceiling. Because the difficult metres are concentrated rather than spread evenly across the full 21 km, the challenge is anticipation: reading the road so a steep pitch never catches you in the wrong gear at the wrong cadence.

Pacing Notes

Over 21 km, discipline beats aggression. Hold a steady effort just below your threshold on the shallow sections rather than surging every time the grade eases — those surges are what empty the tank before the steep pitches arrive. Anchor your pacing to your FTP: aim to sit a touch under it on the sustained stretches, and only spend above it on the short ramps toward 19.1% where staying seated is impossible. If you don't have a recent threshold number, run the FTP estimator first so you're pacing to real data, not guesswork. The recovery in the dips is your friend — soft-pedal the descents and false flats to bank energy for the kickers.

Gearing

With sustained shallow gradients but a 19.1% max lurking, gearing is about survival on the spikes, not the average. A compact chainring paired with a wide-range cassette is the right call. A 34×32 is the sensible baseline for the 3.58% terrain and most of the kickers, but if you're carrying fatigue or riding at endurance pace, step up to a 34×34 so those 19.1% pitches stay spinnable rather than grinding. The extra sprocket costs nothing on the flatter sections and saves your knees on the steep ones.

Summary

Oppio Pass rewards riders who pace patiently and gear generously. Long and mostly moderate, its 19.1% spikes are the sting in the tail — respect them and the 751 m of climbing comes together cleanly.

Length: 21 km
Average gradient: 3.58%
Max gradient: 19.1%
Start: 73 m
Summit: 824 m
Net gain: 751 m
Total ascent: 815 m
Category: 2