Passo della Teglia

Overview

Passo della Teglia is a long, sustained category 1 ascent that rewards patience over punch. Over 23.7 km the road climbs from a low start of just 30 m all the way to a 1384 m summit, banking 1354 m of net elevation gain along the way. The total ascent registers 1386 m, meaning the route sheds only a token amount of height before clawing it straight back — this is a climb that points relentlessly upward.

The headline number is the 5.71% average gradient. That figure sits in the "honest but tiring" band: never so steep that you are forced out of the saddle for long, yet never generous enough to let you recover on the bike. Across nearly 24 km, that steady slope adds up to a serious day.

How the Gradient Unfolds

Do not let the 5.71% average lull you. An average is a blend, and the presence of a 16.54% maximum gradient tells you the slope is far from uniform. Somewhere on this mountain the road ramps to nearly three times the average pitch — a wall steep enough to spike your heart rate and shred your rhythm if you hit it in the wrong gear.

Expect the climb to breathe: shallower drags where you can settle into a cadence, punctuated by sharper kicks that demand a downshift. The gap between the 5.71% average and the 16.54% peak is the whole story of pacing here. If you burn matches on the ramps early, the sheer length — all 23.7 km of it — will collect the debt long before the 1384 m summit.

Pacing Notes

Length is the real adversary on Teglia, so effort management matters more than raw power. Anchor your pacing to your FTP and aim to spend the bulk of the climb just below threshold, leaving headroom to absorb the steep pitches without redlining.

A useful approach: ride the 5.71% sections at a sustainable tempo, then allow your power to rise over the ramps toward the 16.54% max while keeping the effort brief. Because the climb runs close to 24 km, even small pacing errors compound. If you are unsure of your threshold, the FTP estimator will give you a working number to build your target zones around.

Gearing

Gear for the length and the steep ramps, not the average. On a climb of 23.7 km with pitches touching 16.54%, spinning beats grinding every time.

A 34×32 is the sensible baseline for strong riders comfortable holding tempo on a 5.71% grade for over an hour. But given the 16.54% maximum and the accumulated fatigue of 1354 m of gain, a 34×34 is the smarter choice for most. That extra sprocket keeps your cadence up on the walls and protects your legs deep into the climb, where the difference between turning a gear and stalling is small. When in doubt, take the easier ratio — you will use it.

Summary

Passo della Teglia is a test of endurance and pacing discipline: 23.7 km of near-constant climbing, a fair-but-fatiguing 5.71% average, and a 16.54% sting to keep you honest. Gear low, pace to your threshold, and respect the distance.

Length: 23.7 km
Average gradient: 5.71%
Max gradient: 16.54%
Start: 30 m
Summit: 1384 m
Net gain: 1354 m
Total ascent: 1386 m
Category: 1