Passo del Durone

Overview

Passo del Durone is a long, steady category-2 climb that stretches 22 km from a valley start at 98 m to a summit of 1015 m. On paper the 4.17% average gradient reads gently, but that number hides the story: over 22 km you accumulate a net 917 m of elevation, and the total ascent of 1023 m tells you there are dips and false flats folded into the profile. This is a climb of endurance rather than raw steepness — a place to settle into a rhythm and hold it for the better part of an hour.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The defining tension of Durone is the gap between its 4.17% average and its 14.44% maximum. A ramp more than three times steeper than the average means the difficulty is uneven. Because the total ascent (1023 m) exceeds the net gain (917 m) by 106 m, the road gives back a little in places — short descents or flat recoveries that briefly interrupt the climbing. Those breaks reset the average downward, which in turn means the climbing sections must be steeper than 4.17% to compensate, culminating in that 14.44% pitch. Expect long, honest gradients broken up by punchier walls where the road kicks and your cadence drops.

Pacing Notes

Over 22 km, pacing is everything. Ride the average like a threshold effort and the 14.44% ramp will overdraw you. A smarter approach is to sit slightly below your FTP on the sustained 4.17% sections, banking energy for the steep pitches where power naturally spikes. The 106 m of "extra" ascent beyond the net gain means you also work on rollers that don't show up as summit progress — don't chase those; soft-pedal the recoveries and save matches for the real gradient. If you don't know your threshold number, run it through the FTP estimator first so your target watts on the lower slopes are grounded in data rather than feel. With 917 m to gain, discipline in the opening kilometres pays off near the top.

Gearing

For a 22 km climb with a 14.44% maximum, gearing should protect your cadence on the steep pitch rather than the average. A compact 34-tooth chainring is the sensible front. Pair it with at least a 34×32 combination for most riders — that keeps you spinning through the sustained 4.17% sections and the rollers. If you climb at lower cadence, carry heavier legs, or want margin on the 14.44% wall, size up to 34×34. The extra sprocket costs almost nothing on the flatter kilometres but transforms the steep ramp from a grind into a manageable turnover, which matters after nearly 917 m of accumulated climbing.

Summary

Passo del Durone rewards patience: a long category-2 ascent where a modest average masks a genuinely steep maximum. Pace it below threshold, gear it for the wall, and let the rollers pass.

Length: 22 km
Average gradient: 4.17%
Max gradient: 14.44%
Start: 98 m
Summit: 1015 m
Net gain: 917 m
Total ascent: 1023 m
Category: 2