Passo Ventarola nord

Overview

Passo Ventarola nord is a Category 1 climb that packs serious punishment into 13 km of continuous ascent. Starting low at just 50 m and topping out at 990 m, it drags you through 940 m of net elevation gain at an average gradient of 7.23%. That average alone tells you this is no rolling warm-up: sustained mid-7% grades over a distance this long put it firmly in the territory where fitness, not just willpower, decides your day. The 12.97% maximum gradient adds the sting, warning that the average hides ramps steep enough to break your rhythm if you arrive tired.

Category 1 sits one rung below hors catégorie, the hardest classification. In plain terms, Ventarola nord is among the toughest paved climbs you can tackle short of the true monsters, and it rewards riders who respect it from the first pedal stroke.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The numbers sketch a clear shape. With a 7.23% average across 13 km and a peak of 12.97%, the climb is defined by consistency broken by sharper kicks. There is nowhere to truly recover here: even the mellower stretches sit close to the average, so the road keeps applying pressure the entire way up.

Note the gap between net gain and total ascent. The net elevation gain is 940 m, while the total ascent measures 901 m. That difference tells you the profile is almost purely upward, with little to no descending mixed in to break the effort. Every metre you climb, you keep. The steepest sections, approaching 12.97%, are where the average gradient is earned back after any easier passages, so brace for pitches that force you out of the saddle or into your lowest gear.

Pacing Notes

Pacing a 13 km climb is an exercise in patience. Your FTP is the anchor: for a sustained effort of this length, most riders hold somewhere just below threshold, leaving headroom for the 12.97% ramps without blowing up. If you do not know your threshold power, run the numbers through the FTP estimator before you plan your target.

The trap on Ventarola nord is the low start. Fresh legs at 50 m feel invincible, and the early kilometres invite you to push above your ceiling. Resist it. Bank effort for the steeper pitches higher up, where holding the same speed costs far more watts. Settle into a rhythm you can defend for the full 940 m of climbing, and let the tired riders come back to you in the final third.

Gearing

For a Category 1 climb of 13 km at 7.23% average with 12.97% maximum ramps, gear low and keep cadence up. A compact chainring paired with a wide cassette is the sensible baseline. A 34×32 setup will carry strong climbers through most of the gradient, but on the steepest ramps, and especially if you are pacing conservatively, a 34×34 gives you the extra spin to protect your legs. When in doubt over 13 km of relentless pitch, choose the easier ratio: cadence saved early is time saved late.

Summary

Passo Ventarola nord is a long, honest Category 1 climb that never lets up. With a low start, steep sustained grades, and a summit near 1,000 m, it demands disciplined pacing and forgiving gears. Get both right and it becomes one of the most satisfying climbs you can conquer.

Length: 13 km
Average gradient: 7.23%
Max gradient: 12.97%
Start: 50 m
Summit: 990 m
Net gain: 940 m
Total ascent: 901 m
Category: 1