Passo di Gaina

Overview

Passo di Gaina is a category-1 climb that stretches 21.7 km from a base at 1261 m to a summit at 2343 m. That gives it 1082 m of net elevation gain at an average gradient of 4.98% — a shade under 5%, which places it firmly in the long-and-steady school rather than the wall-steep one. The number that tells the deeper story, though, is the total ascent of 2521 m. Because the climb rolls up 2521 m while only netting 1082 m, there is far more vertical hiding in this profile than the net figure suggests. Expect false flats, dips, and short recoveries that quietly hand back altitude before you have to earn it again.

How the Gradient Unfolds

A 4.98% average across 21.7 km rarely means a uniform 4.98% under your wheels. The gap between the 1082 m of net gain and the 2521 m of total ascent — a difference of 1439 m — is the signature of an undulating road. That extra 1439 m of climbing gets swallowed by descents and dips that don't show up in the start-to-summit maths. In practice you'll meet pitches noticeably steeper than 5% separated by ramps that ease off or briefly tilt downward. The takeaway: don't trust the average. Ride the road in front of you, not the number in your head, because the steepest sections will feel harder than a 4.98% climb has any right to.

Pacing Notes

On a climb of this length, pacing is everything. Twenty-one kilometres is long enough that going too deep in the first third leaves nothing for the summit at 2343 m. Anchor your effort to a percentage of your FTP rather than to feel — feel lies when you're fresh and lies again when you're cooked. For a sustained effort of this duration, most riders sit just below threshold on the steady sections and let the gradient, not the ego, dictate surges. If you don't know your threshold number, run it through the FTP estimator before you commit to a target. On the false flats and dips, resist the urge to coast: holding steady power over the whole 21.7 km beats hero pacing that blows up before the top.

Gearing

With 21.7 km and 2521 m of total ascent in the legs, gearing is about protecting your cadence deep into the climb. A compact 34-tooth chainring paired with a wide cassette is the sensible default. A 34×32 will cover most of the road for a reasonably strong rider, but on the steeper pitches — the ones hiding inside that 2521 m — a 34×34 buys you the extra spin to keep the legs turning instead of grinding. If you tend to fade late or you're carrying fatigue, size up to the 34×34 without hesitation. Higher cadence at lower torque is what keeps a 1082 m net climb from becoming a slow-motion strength test.

Summary

Passo di Gaina rewards patience and honest pacing far more than raw power. It's long, deceptively undulating, and stacks up serious total vertical despite a moderate average. Gear low, pace to your threshold, and respect the difference between what the profile promises and what the road delivers.

Length: 21.7 km
Average gradient: 4.98%
Max gradient: n/a
Start: 1261 m
Summit: 2343 m
Net gain: 1082 m
Total ascent: 2521 m
Category: 1