Giovi Pass

Overview

Giovi Pass is a 10.2 km category 3 climb that lifts you from 66 m at its base to a 480 m summit. On paper the numbers look gentle: a 4.05% average gradient spread across the full length, and a modest 414 m of net elevation gain. But averages hide the story. With a max gradient of 13.65% tucked somewhere in the middle, this is a climb that rewards riders who read the road rather than fixate on the summary line. The total ascent of 393 m sits just under the net gain of 414 m, telling you the route climbs almost continuously — there is very little false flat or downhill to break up the effort.

How the Gradient Unfolds

Do the math and the shape becomes clear. A 4.05% average across 10.2 km is a rhythm you can settle into, but a 13.65% pitch is more than three times steeper than that mean. That gap is where Giovi Pass earns its category 3 badge. Expect long stretches at or slightly below the average, punctuated by a ramp — or a short cluster of ramps — that spikes well into double digits. Because the total ascent (393 m) tracks so closely to the net gain (414 m), only about 21 m of the profile is anything other than uphill. There is nowhere to truly recover; the climb simply eases and tightens rather than stopping.

Pacing Notes

Treat the 4.05% average as your baseline and the 13.65% max as your spike budget. Ride the shallow sections a touch below your FTP so you have headroom when the road kicks to double digits — a category 3 climb is short enough that a blown pacing plan on the steep ramp can cost you the whole ascent. If you don't know your threshold, run the numbers through the FTP estimator first, then set a target you can hold across all 10.2 km without redlining early. The goal is a metered effort: steady on the average grades, controlled surges through the steep pitch, and enough left to press over the top toward 480 m.

Gearing

For a climb topping out at 13.65%, a compact chainset paired with a wide-range cassette keeps your cadence civil. A 34×32 is the sensible starting point and will carry most riders through the steep ramp without grinding. If you're carrying fatigue, riding a loaded bike, or simply prefer to spin, size up to a 34×34 — that extra sprocket makes the 13.65% pitch feel manageable and protects your knees over the full 414 m of gain. Neither is overkill on a climb that never really lets go.

Summary

Giovi Pass is a deceptively steady 10.2 km ascent whose 4.05% average masks a 13.65% sting. Pace the shallow grades, respect the ramp, gear generously, and the 480 m summit comes without drama.

Length: 10.2 km
Average gradient: 4.05%
Max gradient: 13.65%
Start: 66 m
Summit: 480 m
Net gain: 414 m
Total ascent: 393 m
Category: 3