Passo di Pozzarelli

Overview

Passo di Pozzarelli is a category 2 climb that runs 8.1 km from a base at 90 m to a summit at 578 m. That gives a net elevation gain of 488 m and a total ascent of 453 m across the road, with an average gradient of 6.06%. On paper the average reads as a steady, tempo-friendly grind, but the 15.64% maximum tells you the road does not hold a single pitch the whole way up. It is long enough to demand real pacing discipline and steep enough in places to punish anyone who spends too early.

How the Gradient Unfolds

A 6.06% average over 8.1 km is the kind of number you can sit against for a long time, but the gap between that average and the 15.64% maximum is where the character of this climb lives. When the mean is close to 6% and the peak is more than double it, the road is not uniform: gentler stretches below the average must exist to balance the ramps that spike toward 15.64%. Expect the effort to arrive in waves rather than as one constant wall. The difference between the 488 m net gain and the 453 m of total ascent is small, which means there is little in the way of descending or false-flat relief once you are climbing — the road keeps tilting upward almost the whole 8.1 km.

Pacing Notes

Treat the 6.06% average as your anchor and let the steeper ramps toward 15.64% cost you only what they must. On a climb of 8.1 km, the biggest mistake is chasing the early ramps and blowing your reserves before the summit at 578 m. Ride the gentler sections just under your FTP so you have headroom when the gradient jumps, then let your effort rise on the steep pitches and settle again as the road eases. If you are not sure what wattage that corresponds to, run the numbers through the FTP estimator first and build your pacing plan around a figure you can actually hold for the full climb.

Gearing

For an 8.1 km climb averaging 6.06% with pitches to 15.64%, gearing is what keeps your cadence alive on the ramps. A compact 34-tooth inner chainring paired with a 34×32 is a sensible baseline for strong climbers who can turn a bigger gear on the steep sections without grinding. If you would rather spin than muscle over the 15.64% ramps — or you are carrying fatigue into the climb — step up to a 34×34 for the extra margin. The lower ratio costs you nothing on the gentler stretches and buys you a cadence cushion exactly where the road bites hardest.

Summary

Passo di Pozzarelli rewards patience: an 8.1 km category 2 climb that averages a manageable 6.06% but hides ramps to 15.64%, rising steadily from 90 m to 578 m for 488 m of net gain. Anchor your effort to the average, protect yourself for the steep pitches, and choose gearing that keeps you spinning.

Length: 8.1 km
Average gradient: 6.06%
Max gradient: 15.64%
Start: 90 m
Summit: 578 m
Net gain: 488 m
Total ascent: 453 m
Category: 2