Passo del Lucomagno

Overview

Passo del Lucomagno is a climb defined by its scale rather than its severity. Stretching 34.1 km from a valley floor at 383 m to a summit at 1973 m, it delivers 1590 m of net elevation gain at a steady average gradient of 4.66%. That places it firmly in Category 1 territory — one rung below hors catégorie — and the difficulty here comes almost entirely from duration. This is a climb you settle into for well over an hour, not one you attack in short violent bursts.

The average of 4.66% tells the honest story: for the most part, Lucomagno climbs at a rhythm you can sustain. But the max gradient of 10.02% confirms the road is not perfectly uniform. Somewhere in those 34.1 km, the slope more than doubles, and knowing that in advance is the difference between a smooth ascent and an ugly, over-cooked one.

How the Gradient Unfolds

With a net gain of 1590 m but a total ascent of 1598 m, the climb includes 8 m of give-back — brief flat or downhill respites where the road eases before resuming. Those are welcome mental breaks, but they also mean the sustained ramps must be slightly steeper than the average to compensate.

Expect long stretches close to the 4.66% mean, punctuated by pitches that stiffen toward the 10.02% maximum. The gap between average and max is what you plan around: hold something in reserve on the gentle kilometres so the steepest ramps don't force you into the red. On a climb this long, the middle third is where fatigue quietly accumulates, so treat the easy gradients as recovery, not as an invitation to push.

Pacing Notes

At 34.1 km, this is an exercise in restraint. Your target effort should sit at or just below your FTP — think tempo, not threshold — because there is simply too much road ahead to spend time above sustainable power. Riders who go out hard in the first few kilometres pay for it dearly once the 10.02% pitches arrive.

If you don't know your sustainable power, estimate it first with the FTP estimator, then ride the lower gradients at a controlled percentage of that figure. Bank effort early; the summit at 1973 m rewards patience far more than aggression.

Gearing

For a climb averaging 4.66% but spiking to 10.02% over 34.1 km, gearing that protects your cadence is essential. A compact chainring paired with a wide-range cassette is the sensible baseline: a 34×32 will handle the bulk of the climb comfortably at the average gradient.

But because the road touches 10.02% and you'll be arriving at those ramps already deep into a long effort, a 34×34 is the smarter choice for most riders. That extra sprocket keeps your cadence up when the slope stiffens near the top, letting you spin rather than grind through the final metres to 1973 m.

Summary

Passo del Lucomagno is an endurance test built on distance and consistency: 34.1 km of steady 4.66% climbing, with a sting of 10.02% to keep you honest. Pace it as tempo, gear it generously, and let the 1590 m of gain come to you.

Length: 34.1 km
Average gradient: 4.66%
Max gradient: 10.02%
Start: 383 m
Summit: 1973 m
Net gain: 1590 m
Total ascent: 1598 m
Category: 1