Passo dell'Agnella

Overview

Passo dell'Agnella is one of those climbs whose numbers do most of the talking. It runs for 18.9 km and averages a brutal 9.76%, starting at 251 m and topping out at a summit elevation of 2097 m. That is a net elevation gain of 1846 m, with 1777 m of total ascent along the way. Put simply: there is almost nowhere to hide. A climb of this length rarely holds such a steep average, and that combination is exactly why it carries an HC rating — hors catégorie, the hardest tier there is, above categories 1 through 4. Treat it with respect from the first pedal stroke.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The defining feature of the Agnella is relentlessness. With a 9.76% average sustained across nearly 19 km, the road simply keeps tilting upward. The small gap between the 1846 m of net gain and the 1777 m of total ascent tells you something useful: this is not a climb of big descents and false flats stitched together. It goes up, and it stays up. Expect to spend the entire ascent in the range where the average gradient lives — occasionally easier, occasionally harder — but without the generous recovery ramps that milder climbs offer. Because the difficulty is so evenly distributed, the summit at 2097 m never arrives as a surprise; it arrives as a reward for holding a steady effort the whole way.

Pacing Notes

On a climb this sustained, pacing is everything. The steepness leaves no room to bury yourself early and recover later, so anchor your effort to your FTP and hold a disciplined percentage of it from the bottom. If you are not sure what your threshold is, run the numbers first with the FTP estimator. Given nearly 19 km at 9.76%, most riders will be on the climb for well over an hour, which means going out even slightly too hard compounds badly. Settle into a rhythm you could sustain for the full 1846 m of climbing, keep your breathing controlled, and let the summit come to you.

Gearing

Do not under-gear this one. At a 9.76% average held for 18.9 km, easy gearing is not a luxury — it is the difference between spinning and grinding to a halt. A compact 34-tooth chainring paired with a wide cassette is the sensible starting point. A 34×32 will get many trained riders up, but on a climb this steep and this long, most will be thankful for a 34×34 to protect the knees and keep cadence alive over the final, tired kilometers toward 2097 m. If your setup allows an even larger sprocket, this is a climb that justifies it.

Summary

Passo dell'Agnella is a genuine HC monster: 18.9 km, a 9.76% average, and 1846 m of net elevation gain that never lets up. Pace it to your threshold, gear it low, and you will reach the 2097 m summit having earned every meter.

Length: 18.9 km
Average gradient: 9.76%
Max gradient: n/a
Start: 251 m
Summit: 2097 m
Net gain: 1846 m
Total ascent: 1777 m
Category: HC