Passo di Ganone

Overview

Passo di Ganone is a long, sustained category 1 ascent that rewards patience over aggression. Over 19.6 km it climbs from a valley floor at 81 m to a summit of 1201 m, delivering 1120 m of net elevation gain and 1117 m of total ascent. The near-identical net and total figures tell you something important right away: this is an almost relentlessly upward road, with barely any false descents to break the effort or hand back hard-won altitude. What you gain, you keep.

The headline average of 5.72% sounds moderate, but averages flatten the truth of a climb. With a maximum pitch of 15.42%, Ganone hides sharp teeth inside its otherwise steady body. Roughly 20 km of continuous work makes this an endurance test first and a power test second.

How the Gradient Unfolds

Do the arithmetic and the shape becomes clear. A 5.72% average across 19.6 km is what produces the 1117 m of ascent. But the 15.42% maximum sits nearly ten points above that mean, so the climb is not uniform. Expect long stretches at or near the average punctuated by steeper ramps that spike well into double digits before easing again.

Because net gain (1120 m) and total ascent (1117 m) are within a few metres of each other, there is essentially no recovery terrain here. You will not find flat plateaus to spin your legs back to life. The steep pitches must be absorbed and then paid down gradually, not escaped. Treat every ramp toward that 15.42% ceiling as a moment to protect, not attack.

Pacing Notes

The single most useful number for a climb this length is your FTP. At roughly 20 km, Ganone will take most riders well beyond half an hour of continuous climbing, which means your sustainable effort — not your five-minute punch — governs the day.

Anchor your pace just under threshold on the 5.72% sections and let the 15.42% ramps push you briefly above it, knowing there is no flat to recover on afterward. Riders who go into the red early on the steep pitches pay for it across the remaining kilometres. If you don't know your threshold, run the numbers through the FTP estimator before you plan a target power for the 1120 m of gain ahead.

Gearing

For a 19.6 km climb averaging 5.72% with ramps to 15.42%, gear for the steep pitches, not the average. A compact 34-tooth inner ring paired with a wide cassette is the sensible baseline. A 34×32 will get most fit riders up the steady sections comfortably, but on the 15.42% ramps — with no recovery terrain to follow — you will want more.

Fit a 34×34 if your groupset allows it. That extra sprocket preserves cadence on the steepest pitches and keeps torque off your knees over 1117 m of total ascent. Spinning a slightly easier gear across a climb this long almost always beats grinding.

Summary

Passo di Ganone is a true endurance climb: nearly 20 km of near-continuous ascent with almost no recovery, a steady 5.72% body, and a 15.42% sting. Pace to threshold, gear generously, and respect the length.

Length: 19.6 km
Average gradient: 5.72%
Max gradient: 15.42%
Start: 81 m
Summit: 1201 m
Net gain: 1120 m
Total ascent: 1117 m
Category: 1