Passo di Scarpapè

Overview

Passo di Scarpapè is short on paper and savage in reality. Over just 4.2 km the road hauls you from 594 m to a summit at 1295 m, and the average gradient reads a staggering 16.68%. That is not a rolling backroad average softened by flat sections — it is a number that would be a punishing ramp on almost any other climb, sustained here for the entire distance. With 701 m of net elevation gain packed into so little horizontal ground, Scarpapè earns its HC (hors catégorie) rating outright. This is the hardest tier there is, sitting above categories 1 through 4, and it feels like it from the first pedal stroke.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The defining feature of Scarpapè is relentlessness. Because the average sits at 16.68% across all 4.2 km, there is nowhere to truly recover — no false flat to spin out the legs, no descent to reset. The listed total ascent of 664 m sits slightly below the 701 m net gain, a quirk that tells you the profile is almost purely upward with negligible give-back; the road simply points at the sky and stays there. Expect the gradient to hover in the mid-to-high teens throughout, occasionally biting harder. On a climb like this the challenge is not a single crux but the accumulation: every hundred metres of road is another chunk of that 701 m demanding to be paid in full.

Pacing Notes

Forget negative splits here. On a wall this steep and this short, the smart approach is to ride just below your sustainable ceiling from the base and refuse to redline early. Your FTP is the number that matters most — at 16.68% average you cannot coast to recover, so any effort above threshold gets repaid with interest and compounds fast. If you are unsure where your threshold sits, run the numbers through the FTP estimator before you commit to a pace. Settle into a rhythm you could theoretically hold for the whole 4.2 km, keep your cadence honest, and treat the summit at 1295 m as the only place you empty the tank.

Gearing

Gear for survival, not vanity. At a sustained 16.68% average, standard road setups will leave you grinding at a cadence that torches your legs. A compact chainring paired with a wide-range cassette is the minimum sensible starting point: 34×32 is genuinely the floor for most riders here, and many will be grateful for 34×34 or easier to keep the pedals turning over the steepest pitches. If your bike can take a larger cassette or a sub-compact crank, use it — spinning a low gear up Scarpapè is far kinder to your knees and your morale than muscling a big one.

Summary

Passo di Scarpapè is a pure test of climbing grit: 4.2 km, 16.68% average, 701 m of gain, and an HC badge to prove it. Come with low gears, a disciplined pace, and respect for every metre.

Length: 4.2 km
Average gradient: 16.68%
Max gradient: n/a
Start: 594 m
Summit: 1295 m
Net gain: 701 m
Total ascent: 664 m
Category: HC