Passo delle Buse Scure

Overview

Passo delle Buse Scure is a long, patient climb that trades savage steepness for sheer duration. Over 26.6 km the road lifts you from 173 m at the base to a 1484 m summit, a net gain of 1311 m. The average gradient reads a deceptively mild 4.93%, and the total recorded ascent of 1289 m confirms this is an almost purely uphill effort with very little respite rolling the other way. That combination — great length, moderate mean gradient, category-1 status — makes Buse Scure a climb of endurance and rhythm rather than raw explosive power. You do not conquer it in a handful of decisive accelerations; you meter it out kilometre by kilometre.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The headline number, 4.93%, hides the real texture. A max gradient of 15.31% tells you the climb is not uniform: there are pitches more than three times steeper than the average. Because the mean is dragged down by gentler stretches, those 15.31% ramps arrive as genuine shocks, spiking your effort well above cruising pace before easing again. Expect the profile to breathe — shallower drags where you can settle into the saddle, punctuated by sharper kicks that force you out of it. With a summit at 1484 m, the closing kilometres also come at altitude, where the same gradient simply costs more. Reading the climb well means anticipating the steep sections rather than being caught flat-footed by them.

Pacing Notes

On a climb this long, discipline beats bravado. Anchor your effort to sustainable power: aim to sit at or just below your FTP on the steady stretches, holding a reserve for the 15.31% ramps where surging is unavoidable. If you burn matches early on the shallow lower slopes, the altitude near 1484 m will collect the debt with interest. Ride the flatter drags a touch conservatively and let the steep pitches be where your number briefly climbs. If you are unsure of your threshold, run the numbers through the FTP estimator before you commit to a pacing plan — knowing your ceiling on a 26.6 km effort is the difference between a strong finish and a slow-motion capitulation.

Gearing

Length plus double-digit ramps is the classic case for a wide-range setup. A compact 34-tooth inner chainring paired with a 32-tooth largest sprocket — a 34×32 — is the sensible baseline for most riders here, giving you a bailout gear for the 15.31% pitches without spinning out on the shallower 4.93% terrain. If you climb at lower cadence, carry extra weight, or simply want insurance across a 1311 m gain, step up to a 34×34. The extra sprocket keeps your legs turning over on the steepest kicks and protects your knees across the full 26.6 km. On a climb this long, easier gearing is not a weakness; it is what lets you hold rhythm to the top.

Summary

Passo delle Buse Scure rewards the patient. Pace it with your threshold in mind, gear generously for the steep ramps, and respect the altitude waiting at the summit. Get the rhythm right and its 4.93% average feels honest rather than punishing — a category-1 test of stamina over spite.

Length: 26.6 km
Average gradient: 4.93%
Max gradient: 15.31%
Start: 173 m
Summit: 1484 m
Net gain: 1311 m
Total ascent: 1289 m
Category: 1