Passo del Cason di Lanza / Lanzenpass / Pas di Lance

Overview

The Passo del Cason di Lanza is short on paper and savage in the legs. Over just 4.7 km it climbs from 989 m to a summit at 1549 m, a net gain of 560 m at an average gradient of 11.86%. That average alone tells you almost everything you need to know: there is nowhere to hide, no false-flat reprieve, no long draggy run-in to warm into. From the moment the road tilts, you are working at a punishing intensity, and the pitch barely relents until you top out.

At Category 1, this climb sits one rung below hors catégorie, and the numbers back that up. An 11.86% average sustained for the better part of five kilometres is the kind of effort that rewards patience and punishes ego. The 516 m of total ascent recorded across the profile confirms how relentlessly upward this road runs.

How the Gradient Unfolds

With a 4.7 km length and an 11.86% average, the arithmetic is unforgiving: the climb never really eases. The maximum gradient of 14.06% marks the steepest ramp, and because the average sits so close to that maximum, the "easier" sections are still brutally steep by any normal standard. The gap between average and max is only 2.2 percentage points, so this is not a climb of dramatic swings between wall and rest — it is a sustained, grinding slab of road.

Expect the steepest pitches near 14.06% to arrive as short, sharp reinforcements of an already heavy tempo rather than isolated shocks. The consistency is the difficulty. You climb 560 m in 4.7 km, and your legs will feel every metre of it.

Pacing Notes

On a climb this steep and this short, pacing is about restraint in the first kilometre. The temptation is to attack the opening ramps, but at an 11.86% average you will pay for early over-exertion long before the summit. Anchor your effort to your FTP and hold a controlled ceiling rather than surging.

Because the gradient is so relentless, most riders will spend the entire 4.7 km at or just above threshold. Aim to settle into a rhythm you can defend all the way to 1549 m. If you are unsure of your threshold power, the FTP estimator will give you a working number to pace against, so you climb to a plan instead of blowing up on the first steep pitch.

Gearing

This is a climb that demands the lowest gearing you can fit. With an 11.86% average and pitches to 14.06%, a compact chainring paired with a wide-range cassette is the sensible minimum. A 34×32 will get most fit riders to the top, but on gradients this steep it leaves little margin when fatigue sets in over the final metres to 1549 m.

If your bike will take it, a 34×34 is the smarter choice here. That extra sprocket lets you keep your cadence up and your effort steady across the full 560 m of climbing rather than grinding at a knee-straining low rpm. On a wall this consistent, a spinnable gear is not a luxury — it is what keeps the climb sustainable.

Summary

The Passo del Cason di Lanza is a compact, ferocious Category 1 climb: 4.7 km that never lets go, averaging 11.86% and topping out at 1549 m. Pace it with discipline, gear it low, and respect the numbers.

Length: 4.7 km
Average gradient: 11.86%
Max gradient: 14.06%
Start: 989 m
Summit: 1549 m
Net gain: 560 m
Total ascent: 516 m
Category: 1