Passo del Vescovo

Overview

Passo del Vescovo is a short, unforgiving climb that trades distance for pure gradient. At just 2.1 km long, it rises from a start elevation of 406 m to a summit of 631 m — a net gain of 225 m over almost no ground at all. The average gradient of 10.69% tells you most of what you need to know: this is a climb where you can never truly settle. Rated category 2, it earns its classification not through length but through relentless steepness, with pitches that spike as high as 19.29%.

The recorded total ascent of 205 m sits just below the net gain of 225 m, which points to a climb that goes up and keeps going up — there is very little false-flat or recovery built into these 2.1 km. From bottom to top, you are working.

How the Gradient Unfolds

Think of Passo del Vescovo as a sustained double-digit wall rather than a climb with a distinct crux. With an average of 10.69% across the full 2.1 km, the "easy" sections here would be the steep sections on most other climbs. The gap between the 10.69% average and the 19.29% maximum — a swing of 8.6 percentage points — signals sharp ramps stacked on an already brutal baseline.

Because the climb is so compact, those maximum-gradient pitches arrive quickly and there is no long runway to build rhythm beforehand. Expect the road to kick toward that 19.29% figure in short, punchy bursts, then ease back toward the double-digit average before kicking again. Over 225 m of vertical gain in 2.1 km, that pattern repeats until the summit at 631 m.

Pacing Notes

On a climb this steep and this short, pacing is about restraint at the bottom. The temptation is to attack the first ramps, but at 10.69% average you will pay for early efforts long before the top. Anchor your effort to your sustainable threshold — riding just under your FTP on the shallower stretches buys you headroom for the 19.29% spikes, where staying seated and keeping cadence alive matters more than raw watts.

If you are unsure what wattage that means for you, run the numbers through the FTP estimator before you commit. With only 2.1 km to cover, the whole climb is essentially one extended threshold-to-over-threshold effort, so knowing your ceiling is the difference between cresting strong and blowing apart on a 19.29% pitch.

Gearing

Do not under-gear this one. With a 10.69% average and 19.29% maximum, a compact chainring paired with a wide cassette is the sensible starting point. A 34×32 will get most fit riders up, but on the steepest ramps you will be grinding at low cadence. For anyone who values their knees or is riding at tempo rather than racing, a 34×34 gives you the extra room to spin through the 19.29% sections rather than muscle over them. Given the climb packs 225 m of gain into just 2.1 km, err toward the easier ratio — you will never regret having 34×34 in reserve on a wall like this.

Summary

Passo del Vescovo is a concentrated dose of climbing: 2.1 km, 225 m of net elevation, and an average gradient that rarely lets up. Short enough to attack, steep enough to punish — respect the 19.29% ramps, gear low, and pace off your threshold.

Length: 2.1 km
Average gradient: 10.69%
Max gradient: 19.29%
Start: 406 m
Summit: 631 m
Net gain: 225 m
Total ascent: 205 m
Category: 2