Passo dello Scalone

Overview

Passo dello Scalone is a category 1 ascent that packs serious difficulty into a compact 9.7 km. From a low start at just 27 m, the road climbs steadily to a 749 m summit, delivering 722 m of net elevation gain. The average gradient of 7.48% tells only part of the story: with a maximum pitch of 22.46%, this is a climb that punishes any rider who fails to respect it. The total ascent of 715 m confirms there is barely a metre of respite once the road tilts upward.

How the Gradient Unfolds

At 7.48% average over 9.7 km, Scalone sits firmly in the range where fatigue accumulates faster than you expect. The gap between the 7.48% average and the 22.46% maximum is enormous — nearly 15 percentage points — which means the climb is not evenly graded. Expect stretches that sit near or above the average punctuated by savage ramps approaching that 22.46% wall. Because the net gain (722 m) very nearly matches the total ascent (715 m), there are almost no descents or flat sections to recover on. You climb, and you keep climbing. Mentally, break the 9.7 km into thirds and treat each ramp as its own effort rather than staring at the full distance.

Pacing Notes

The single biggest mistake on a climb like this is going out too hard on the lower slopes and blowing up before the steepest pitches arrive. Anchor your effort to your FTP and aim to sit slightly below threshold on the sustained sections, leaving headroom for the ramps toward 22.46% where power inevitably spikes. If you do not know your threshold, run the numbers through the FTP estimator before you start, then set a target you can hold for the full 9.7 km. On the steepest pitches, accept that cadence will drop and your power will surge above target — that is unavoidable — but recover immediately once the gradient eases back toward the 7.48% average. Even pacing beats heroics here.

Gearing

With an average of 7.48% and ramps hitting 22.46%, gear conservatively. A compact 34-tooth inner chainring is the sensible starting point. Pairing 34×32 gives most trained riders enough range for the sustained sections, but the pitches near 22.46% will test that ratio hard. If you are not confident in your climbing legs, or you want to protect them across the full 9.7 km, size up to 34×34 for extra spinning room on the walls. The lower gear lets you keep the pedals turning rather than grinding to a halt when the road rears up. Fresh riders may cope on 34×32; anyone chasing a long day or preservation should choose 34×34.

Summary

Passo dello Scalone is short but genuinely brutal: 9.7 km that never lets up, an average of 7.48%, and a maximum of 22.46% that demands real gearing and disciplined pacing. Start low at 27 m, finish high at 749 m, and earn every one of those 722 m of net gain.

Length: 9.7 km
Average gradient: 7.48%
Max gradient: 22.46%
Start: 27 m
Summit: 749 m
Net gain: 722 m
Total ascent: 715 m
Category: 1