Passo del Cerighetto

Overview

The Passo del Cerighetto is a genuine hors catégorie (HC) test — the hardest classification on the scale before you drop to category 1, 2, 3, and 4. It runs for 20.8 km at an average gradient of 7.17%, lifting you from a valley-floor start at 58 m all the way to a 1550 m summit. That is a net elevation gain of 1492 m, with 1487 m of total ascent packed into a single sustained effort. This is not a climb you cover accidentally: nearly 21 km at better than 7% is an hour-plus of continuous work for most riders, and the 20.63% maximum gradient means there is a wall waiting somewhere that will not let you settle into cruise control.

How the Gradient Unfolds

An average of 7.17% over 20.8 km tells you the climb is relentless, but averages hide the story. The gap between the 7.17% mean and the 20.63% peak is more than 13 percentage points — proof that gentler stretches are paid for later with pitches that spike into the low twenties. Expect long ramps hovering around the average that let you find rhythm, punctuated by steeper kicks that force you out of the saddle or deep into your smallest gears. With 1492 m of vertical to gain, the climb rarely relents; even the "easier" sections sit well above a false flat. Treat the 20.63% max as a marker to respect rather than a one-off — on a climb this long, a single overcooked ramp can unravel the whole ascent.

Pacing Notes

On a 20.8 km HC climb, pacing is everything. Anchor your effort to your FTP and hold a steady, sustainable power rather than chasing the steep ramps. The 7.17% average is your baseline metabolic cost; the pitches toward 20.63% are where riders blow up by surging. Bank nothing early — with 1492 m still to climb, there is no reward for reaching the halfway mark ahead of a pace you cannot sustain. If you are unsure what power you can hold for an hour-plus effort, run the numbers through the FTP estimator first, then set a ceiling and refuse to exceed it on the shallower sections.

Gearing

Gear for the steep ramps, not the average. On a climb touching 20.63% after 20.8 km of fatigue, a compact crankset paired with a wide-range cassette is the sensible choice. A 34×32 will get most fit riders up the sustained 7.17% sections, but the 20.63% pitches — arriving late, with 1492 m already in your legs — are exactly where an extra sprocket saves your knees and your composure. If your bike can take it, a 34×34 gives you that reassurance for the worst kicks. Err toward the easier gear: spinning a low cadence up a wall beats grinding to a halt.

Summary

The Passo del Cerighetto is a complete HC climb — long, steep, and unforgiving, with a summit that rewards patient, disciplined riding over 20.8 km of continuous ascent.

Length: 20.8 km
Average gradient: 7.17%
Max gradient: 20.63%
Start: 58 m
Summit: 1550 m
Net gain: 1492 m
Total ascent: 1487 m
Category: HC