Passo di Prale

Overview

Passo di Prale is a category 1 climb that asks a genuine, sustained effort from the first pedal stroke to the last. Over 13.1 km it lifts you from a start elevation of 352 m to a summit at 1265 m, a net gain of 913 m at an average gradient of 6.96%. That average alone puts it in serious territory: nearly seven percent held for over an hour for most riders is the kind of relentless demand that rewards discipline and punishes early enthusiasm. The total ascent measured along the road is 890 m, and with a maximum gradient of 15.89% lurking somewhere in the middle, this is a climb defined as much by its steepest moment as by its long, steady body.

How the Gradient Unfolds

Read the numbers together and the shape comes into focus. The 6.96% average is the spine of the climb, but the gap between that figure and the 15.89% maximum tells you the road is not uniform. Expect long stretches at or slightly above the average, broken by at least one ramp that spikes far harder than anything else. On 13.1 km of climbing, a single 15.89% wall changes how you ride everything around it: the sections before it feel deceptively manageable, and the sections after it demand recovery you may not have. The difference between the net gain of 913 m and the road-measured 890 m ascent hints at small undulations, but make no mistake, the trend is relentlessly upward from 352 m all the way to 1265 m.

Pacing Notes

The smart way to ride Prale is by effort, not ego. Anchor your pacing to your FTP and hold a steady percentage of it for the length of the climb rather than surging early. At 13.1 km and 6.96%, most riders are looking at a sustained tempo-to-threshold effort, so leave headroom for the 15.89% ramp, where your power will spike regardless of how evenly you meter the rest. If you don't know your threshold, run your numbers through the FTP estimator before you plan the climb. The 913 m of vertical between 352 m and 1265 m is where pacing mistakes compound: go too deep early and the final third at altitude will unravel you.

Gearing

Gearing is where Prale is won or lost for amateur riders. With a 15.89% maximum and a 6.96% average sustained across 13.1 km, you want a low bailout gear ready. A compact 34-tooth chainring paired with a 34×32 cassette combination is the sensible baseline, giving you a manageable ratio for the long average grades. But for the 15.89% pitch, a 34×34 buys you the extra cadence to spin rather than grind, protecting your legs across the remaining kilometres to the 1265 m summit. If in doubt, take the easier of the two.

Summary

Passo di Prale is an honest, hard category 1 climb: long enough to test your pacing, steep enough at its worst to test your gearing, and consistent enough to reward riders who respect the average. Meter your effort, gear low, and let the 913 m of gain come to you.

Length: 13.1 km
Average gradient: 6.96%
Max gradient: 15.89%
Start: 352 m
Summit: 1265 m
Net gain: 913 m
Total ascent: 890 m
Category: 1