Passo Bidderdi

Overview

Passo Bidderdi is a compact but genuinely demanding category-2 climb. Over its 6.2 km it averages 6.78%, tipping up to a maximum of 9% at its steepest. You start low, at just 45 m of elevation, and finish at the 464 m summit — a net gain of 419 m with 397 m of total ascent measured along the road.

That gap between net gain and total ascent is small, which tells you something useful before you even turn a pedal: this is an honest climb. There is very little false-flat or descending relief hidden inside it. Almost every metre you climb is a metre you keep. For a category-2 rating packed into 6.2 km, that consistency is exactly what makes it bite.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The headline number is the 6.78% average, and on Bidderdi the average is close to the lived reality. With a maximum of only 9%, the climb never spikes into the leg-breaking double-digit ramps you find on harsher passes. Instead it holds a firm, sustained band between roughly the average and that 9% ceiling.

The practical consequence is that Bidderdi rewards rhythm over raw punch. There is no single wall to survive and no long plateau to recover on. The gradient sits in a narrow window, so your effort stays remarkably flat from the 45 m base to the 464 m top. Expect to settle into one gear and one cadence early, and to hold both almost all the way to the summit.

Pacing Notes

Because the slope is so even, Bidderdi is a near-perfect climb to ride to a target power. Anchor your effort to your FTP and aim to hold a steady percentage of it for the full 6.2 km rather than surging on the steeper sections.

At 6.78% average, most riders will spend the climb just under to just over threshold, so pacing discipline in the opening kilometre pays off across the whole 419 m of climbing — go too deep early and the sustained 9% pitches near the top will find you out. If you are not sure of your threshold, run the numbers through the FTP estimator first, then set a wattage band you can defend from bottom to top.

Gearing

A 6.2 km climb at 6.78% with ramps to 9% does not demand exotic gearing, but it does reward a bit of a cushion for the sustained pitches. A compact chainset paired with a 34×32 low gear is a sensible baseline for strong climbers who want to spin the steeper sections rather than grind them.

If you weigh more, carry luggage, or simply prefer to protect your knees on a climb this relentless, size up to a 34×34. That extra sprocket keeps your cadence comfortable when the road holds near 9% for an extended stretch, which is precisely where an under-geared bike turns a steady effort into a survival grind.

Summary

Passo Bidderdi is a short, sustained, honest category-2 test: 6.2 km of near-constant gradient with no tricks and nowhere to hide. Pace it to your threshold, gear it so you can spin the 9% pitches, and let its rhythm work for you rather than against you.

Length: 6.2 km
Average gradient: 6.78%
Max gradient: 9%
Start: 45 m
Summit: 464 m
Net gain: 419 m
Total ascent: 397 m
Category: 2