Passo della Cava

Overview

Passo della Cava is a category 1 climb that asks a serious, sustained effort from the moment you leave the 394 m base. Over 15.8 km it averages 7.03% and lifts you to a 1504 m summit, a net gain of 1110 m. The 1088 m of total ascent tells you this is a genuine one-way haul rather than a rolling road with a false top — almost every metre climbed stays climbed. At just over an hour of climbing for most riders, and with a peak pitch of 22.49%, it sits firmly in the range where category 1 borders on the truly severe.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The headline 7.03% average is honest but slightly kind, because it smooths over a 22.49% maximum that lurks somewhere on the profile. The gap between average and max — more than 15 percentage points — is the number to respect. A climb that averages 7% but spikes past 22% cannot be metered out evenly; you will spend long stretches near the average and then hit a wall that briefly triples your effort.

Because the net gain (1110 m) exceeds the total ascent (1088 m) by only a small margin, there is essentially no recovery built into the road. There are no meaningful descents to coast and reset the legs. Treat the whole 15.8 km as continuous work punctuated by the steep ramps, not as a set of separate efforts with rest between them.

Pacing Notes

Anchor your pacing to sustainable power rather than the number on your speedometer, which will swing wildly across a spread this wide. On the sections near 7% you should be able to hold something close to your threshold, but you must leave headroom for the 22.49% pitch — that ramp will punch you well above FTP whether you like it or not.

If you don't know your threshold yet, run a quick FTP estimator before you commit to a target. The practical rule on Passo della Cava: ride the average grades a touch conservatively so the steep wall is a spike, not a snapping point. Riders who empty themselves on the shallower opening kilometres tend to unravel completely when the 22% arrives, still with elevation left to the 1504 m top.

Gearing

Gearing is where this climb is won or lost. For a sustained 15.8 km at 7.03% you want low ratios you can spin, and for the 22.49% maximum you want an escape gear. A 34×32 is the sensible floor for strong climbers, but on gradients past 20% many riders will be grinding at low, knee-loading cadence. If you have any doubt about your climbing legs, fit a 34×34 — the extra sprocket buys you cadence exactly where the road is steepest, and keeps the effort aerobic instead of forcing repeated out-of-saddle surges. Compact up front, wide-range cassette in back: that is the setup this profile rewards.

Summary

Passo della Cava is a category 1 climb that earns its rating through sustained grade rather than tricks: 15.8 km, 7.03% on average, and a single savage 22.49% wall. With 1110 m of net gain and almost no respite, pace it to protect your legs for the steep ramp and gear yourself so the summit is a certainty, not a gamble.

Length: 15.8 km
Average gradient: 7.03%
Max gradient: 22.49%
Start: 394 m
Summit: 1504 m
Net gain: 1110 m
Total ascent: 1088 m
Category: 1