Passo Baremone

Overview

Passo Baremone is a hors-catégorie (HC) climb in Italy that runs 10.4 km from a start elevation of 362 m to a summit at 1,451 m. Over that distance it delivers a net elevation gain of 1,089 m at an average gradient of 10.43%, placing it among the most demanding paved ascents you can ride. This is a sustained, high-altitude-gain effort where the average alone signals a climb that never truly eases.

The number that reshapes your expectations is total ascent: 1,702 m against a net gain of 1,089 m. That 613 m gap means the road undulates rather than climbing cleanly. You will give back roughly 613 m of hard-won height and reclaim it, so the actual vertical work is far more than the net figure suggests. Plan your fuelling and pacing around 1,702 m of climbing, not 1,089.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The 10.43% average hides real variability. Undulation on this scale means short descents and false flats sit between climbing blocks, and the steep pitches cluster where the road pinches. Expect the gradient to swing well above the average on the harder ramps and dip toward recovery elsewhere.

• Flatter or descending recovery sections that account for the gap between net gain and total ascent
• Repeated short climbs stacked back to back, each demanding a fresh surge of effort
• The steepest ramp, sharp enough to force you out of the saddle and into your lowest gear

Pacing Notes

On an undulating climb like this, even-effort beats even-speed. Chasing a constant speed forces you to spike power on every steep ramp and coast the recoveries, burning matches you cannot get back over 1,702 m of climbing. Instead, hold a steady output anchored to your sustainable power output and let your speed rise and fall with the terrain.

Use the recovery sections deliberately: ease slightly on the flatter and descending portions so you arrive at each ramp with something in reserve. If you do not know your ceiling, run the numbers through the FTP estimator before you ride and set a target you can defend for the full hour-plus this climb demands.

Gearing

The steepest ramp governs your setup, and on an HC climb this steep you want low gearing before you start, not regret halfway up. Fit a compact or sub-compact chainset paired with a wide-range cassette — a 34×32 or 34×34 gives you the cadence to spin the sharpest pitches rather than grinding them. Check your drivetrain the day before: confirm the cassette range, that the rear derailleur handles the largest sprocket, and that shifting is clean under load. Arriving under-geared here turns a hard climb into a walk.

Summary

• Length: 10.4 km
• Average gradient: 10.43%
• Net elevation gain: 1,089 m
• Total ascent: 1,702 m
• Category: HC

Passo Baremone is a full HC test: a steep average, real undulation, and 1,702 m of climbing packed into 10.4 km. Pace to effort, gear low, and respect the gap between net gain and total ascent, and you will get to the 1,451 m summit with your legs intact.