Passo Canevale

Overview

Passo Canevale is a Category 1 climb that packs a full day's worth of vertical into a compact 7.1 km. From a low start at just 59 m, the road climbs relentlessly to a 647 m summit, delivering 588 m of net elevation gain along the way. The average gradient sits at a stern 8.25%, which is the kind of number that never really lets you settle. There are few true flats and no meaningful descents to break the rhythm — the total ascent of 577 m confirms that almost every metre you climb, you keep. This is a straight-up test of sustained power against gravity.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The defining feature here is consistency married to occasional cruelty. An 8.25% average over 7.1 km means the road rarely dips into easy territory, and the 13.29% maximum tells you there are pitches that spike well above what your legs have settled into — a swing of just over 5% above the average when the ramps bite. Expect the hardest ramps to arrive when you are already deep into the effort, since the climb offers little early respite to bank energy. Because net gain (588 m) so closely tracks total ascent (577 m), the profile is honest: what you see on the elevation line is what you pay. Read the steep sections early and hold something back for them.

Pacing Notes

The single biggest mistake on a climb this steep and this uniform is starting too hard. With 7.1 km at 8.25%, your effort should be anchored to a sustainable percentage of your FTP rather than to how you feel in the opening metres, which always flatter you. Aim to ride the bulk of the climb just under threshold, keeping a small reserve for the 13.29% ramps where power inevitably surges. If you don't know your threshold number, run it through the FTP estimator before you plan the ascent, then translate it into a target you can actually hold for the full 588 m of climbing. Even pacing beats heroics every time on a wall like this.

Gearing

Do not under-gear this one. At 8.25% average with 13.29% pitches, most riders will want a compact setup with a generous cassette. A 34×32 is the sensible floor for strong climbers who can hold a steady cadence, but the moment the gradient spikes into the low teens, a 34×34 gives you the extra room to keep spinning rather than grinding to a stall. If you tend to fade over sustained efforts, choose the 34×34 and enjoy having gears in reserve — you will not regret it over 7.1 km.

Summary

Passo Canevale is a concentrated, uncompromising Category 1 effort: short in distance but savage in gradient, rewarding patient pacing and honest gearing. Ride it evenly, respect the ramps, and the summit at 647 m is yours.

Length: 7.1 km
Average gradient: 8.25%
Max gradient: 13.29%
Start: 59 m
Summit: 647 m
Net gain: 588 m
Total ascent: 577 m
Category: 1