Passo d'Ampola

Overview

Passo d'Ampola is a long, moderate-looking climb that hides real teeth. Over 14.3 km it averages just 4.81%, and on paper that reads like a tempo effort you could roll through in the big ring. The numbers underneath tell a more interesting story. You start at 59 m and top out at 747 m, a net gain of 688 m, while the recorded total ascent is 622 m — a hint that the road undulates rather than dragging you relentlessly upward. Add a maximum gradient of 22.44% and you have a category-2 climb that rewards patience but punishes anyone who mistakes the gentle average for an easy day.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The defining tension here is between the 4.81% average and the 22.44% max. That gap is enormous. A steady 4.81% grade over 14.3 km would be a rhythmic, sustainable climb — but the profile clearly refuses to sit still. With 688 m of net gain against only 622 m of total ascent, there are stretches where the road eases, flattens, or even tips downward before rearing up again. Those recoveries are not gifts; they are the reason the steep pitches exist. Somewhere in this 14.3 km lies a ramp touching 22.44%, and gradient that steep does not arrive gradually. Expect the climb to lull you into a comfortable cadence and then demand a sudden, out-of-the-saddle surge to clear its hardest section.

Pacing Notes

Because the average is deceptively kind, the smart approach is to ride the flatter early kilometres well within yourself and hold energy in reserve for the sharp ramps. Anchor your effort to your FTP rather than to how easy the opening slopes feel — a climb that gains 688 m will find you eventually. On the 4.81% sections, settle just below threshold and let your cadence do the work. When the road pitches toward 22.44%, you will briefly exceed threshold no matter how disciplined you are, so bank the recovery on the shallow bits. If you are unsure of your threshold power, run the numbers through the FTP estimator before you attempt the climb so your target wattage is grounded in data rather than optimism.

Gearing

The 4.81% average does not dictate your gearing here — the 22.44% max does. For a compact setup, a 34×32 is the sensible floor, and it will get most fit riders over the steepest ramp without cross-eyed grinding. If you climb at a lower cadence, carry extra weight, or simply want insurance across all 14.3 km, fit a 34×34. That extra sprocket transforms the worst pitch from a survival effort into a manageable spin, letting you protect your legs across the full 688 m of climbing rather than blowing up on a single wall.

Summary

Passo d'Ampola is a climb of two personalities: a relaxed 4.81% average wrapped around a brutal 22.44% spike. Respect the ramps, pace off your threshold, and gear low enough to spin the hard bits, and its 14.3 km will feel like an achievement rather than an ambush.

Length: 14.3 km
Average gradient: 4.81%
Max gradient: 22.44%
Start: 59 m
Summit: 747 m
Net gain: 688 m
Total ascent: 622 m
Category: 2