Passo Lavinal

Overview

Passo Lavinal is a category 2 climb that covers 8.7 km from a valley floor at 447 m up to a summit of 868 m. On paper the numbers look approachable: a 4.84% average gradient and a net gain of 421 m. But averages flatten out the reality of the road, and this is a climb where the middle figure hides some sharper teeth. With a maximum pitch of 9.5%, Lavinal asks for respect from the first pedal stroke without ever tipping into the punishing territory of a first-category or hors catégorie ascent.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The gap between the 4.84% average and the 9.5% maximum is the story here. A near-8.7 km climb that gains 421 m net cannot be uniformly steep, so the road alternates: stretches sitting comfortably below the mean give you room to breathe, then the gradient stacks up toward that 9.5% ceiling on the steeper ramps. Note too that the total ascent of 395 m is slightly less than the 421 m net gain figure — a small quirk that tells you the profile is not a single clean uphill line but a road with brief flatter or gently rolling sections woven in. Expect to shift often rather than settle into one rhythm. The climb rewards riders who read the road ahead and save their matches for the pitches that actually demand them.

Pacing Notes

At 8.7 km, Lavinal is long enough that going out too hard will cost you dearly on the upper slopes. Anchor your effort to your FTP: a sustainable pace on the 4.84% sections should sit comfortably below threshold, leaving headroom to absorb the 9.5% ramps without redlining. Treat the steep pitches as short over-efforts, not steady-state work, and let the flatter breaks reset your legs. If you are unsure where your threshold actually sits, run the numbers through the FTP estimator before you plan your climbing power. A well-judged Lavinal is one where your hardest minute comes near the top, not near the bottom.

Gearing

For most riders a compact 34-tooth inner ring is the sensible foundation here. Paired with a 34×32 low gear, you will spin the 4.84% average comfortably and still turn a manageable cadence when the road bites toward 9.5%. If you tend to grind, carry extra weight, or simply want to protect your knees on a climb of this length, step up to a 34×34 — the extra sprocket gives you a genuine bail-out gear for the steepest ramps and keeps your cadence honest across all 8.7 km. Neither is overkill on a category 2; both let you climb seated and controlled rather than lurching out of the saddle.

Summary

Passo Lavinal is an honest, well-mannered category 2 climb: long enough to matter at 8.7 km, steep enough to sting at 9.5%, but forgiving enough at 4.84% average that smart pacing carries you to the 868 m summit with something left. Read the ramps, gear conservatively, and let the flatter sections do their work.

Length: 8.7 km
Average gradient: 4.84%
Max gradient: 9.5%
Start: 447 m
Summit: 868 m
Net gain: 421 m
Total ascent: 395 m
Category: 2