Passo di Alpisella

Overview

Passo di Alpisella is a category-1 climb that asks for patience before it asks for power. Over 19.9 km you gain 1060 m of net elevation, rising from a start at 1233 m to a summit at 2293 m. The average gradient reads a moderate-sounding 5.32%, but that headline number hides a wide spread: with a total ascent of 1122 m against 1060 m of net gain, there are dips and false flats folded into the route where the road gives a little back before demanding it again. This is a long climb rather than a savage one on paper, but the altitude and the length make it a genuine test of endurance.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The defining feature of Alpisella is the gap between its 5.32% average and its 26.97% maximum. That max pitch is more than five times the average, which tells you the climb is uneven: long stretches sit below the mean to make room for short, wall-like ramps that spike deep into the twenties. Because total ascent (1122 m) exceeds net gain (1060 m) by 62 m, you know the profile rolls rather than climbs in a clean line. Expect to settle into a rhythm on the shallower sections, then have that rhythm shattered by a sudden steepening. Reading the road ahead matters here — the sting comes from ramps, not from relentless grade.

Pacing Notes

On a climb this long, discipline early pays off late. Anchor your effort to a percentage of your FTP rather than to how you feel in the first few kilometres, where fresh legs tempt you to overspend. If you don't know your current threshold, run the numbers through the FTP estimator before you commit to a target. The moderate 5.32% average is a wattage you can hold for the full 19.9 km — but the 26.97% ramps will force you well above threshold in short bursts. Absorb those surges, then deliberately ease back to your steady number once the grade relaxes. Climbing toward 2293 m, thinner air quietly raises the cost of every pedal stroke, so leave a margin.

Gearing

Given a max pitch approaching 27%, gear for the hardest metre, not the average. A compact 34-tooth chainring paired with a wide cassette is the sensible baseline. A 34×32 will get most riders up the steadier sections comfortably, but on the steepest ramps it can leave you grinding at a cadence that burns matches. If you have the range, a 34×34 buys you crucial relief on those walls and lets you spin rather than heave. On a 19.9 km climb with 1122 m of total ascent, protecting your cadence across the whole effort is worth more than saving a few grams.

Summary

Passo di Alpisella rewards riders who pace to the average and gear for the maximum. Respect the length, save something for altitude, and let the steep ramps pass without panic.

Length: 19.9 km
Average gradient: 5.32%
Max gradient: 26.97%
Start: 1233 m
Summit: 2293 m
Net gain: 1060 m
Total ascent: 1122 m
Category: 1