Passo della Capra

Overview

Passo della Capra is a hors catégorie climb, the hardest classification on the road, and its numbers make the case without embellishment. Over 15.8 km you gain 1518 m of net elevation, rising from a start at 476 m to a summit at 1994 m. That works out to an average gradient of 9.61%, and averages this steep sustained over this distance are rare. Total ascent measures 1513 m, meaning the road climbs almost relentlessly with virtually no relief — there is nowhere to recover and coast. This is a full-value HC test that punishes anyone who arrives without a plan.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The defining feature here is consistency of pain. With a 9.61% average holding across 15.8 km, there is no gentle valley approach and no long false-flat to spin up. The near-equal net gain of 1518 m and total ascent of 1513 m confirm the climb barely dips — you are almost always going up. The 26.92% maximum gradient is the sting in the tail of this profile: pitches nearly three times the average that will spike your heart rate and force you out of the saddle. Expect the road to alternate between brutal sustained stretches at or above the average and short, wall-like ramps that briefly touch that 26.92% ceiling. Read the surface ahead and never let a steep pitch catch you in the wrong gear.

Pacing Notes

Discipline is everything on a climb this long and this steep. Anchor your effort to your FTP and hold it steady rather than surging — 15.8 km at 9.61% will expose any early overreach mercilessly. If you don't know your threshold, run the numbers through the FTP estimator before you commit to a target. Ride the sustained sections just under threshold and accept that the 26.92% ramps will briefly push you over; the goal is to keep those spikes short and settle straight back to your rhythm. Fuel and drink early, because the 1518 m of gain gives you a long time in the red before the 1994 m summit.

Gearing

Do not under-gear this climb. With a 9.61% average and pitches to 26.92%, a compact chainring paired with a wide-range cassette is the minimum sensible setup. A 34×32 is the entry point for strong climbers, but on a 15.8 km HC effort most riders will be far happier with a 34×34, which buys precious cadence on the steepest walls. If your bike accepts an even larger sprocket, the extra range is welcome — you can always leave it unused, but you cannot invent a gear you don't have when the road tilts toward 26.92%.

Summary

Passo della Capra earns its HC rating honestly: long, unremittingly steep, and topped with punishing ramps. Pace to your threshold, gear generously, and respect the full 1518 m of climbing to the summit.

Length: 15.8 km
Average gradient: 9.61%
Max gradient: 26.92%
Start: 476 m
Summit: 1994 m
Net gain: 1518 m
Total ascent: 1513 m
Category: HC