Passo di Ceda

Overview

Passo di Ceda is a monster of endurance. At 39.7 km with an average gradient of 5.24%, it is one of the longest sustained efforts you can put in the legs, and its hors catégorie (HC) rating is earned by sheer duration rather than by any single wall. You start low, at 135 m above sea level, and finish high, at a 2216 m summit — a net elevation gain of 2081 m across the ride. Total ascent tallies 2154 m, meaning the road only gives back a little, dipping just 73 m across its full length. This is a climb you settle into and grind out.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The headline number, 5.24%, hides how this climb behaves. Over 39.7 km, a 5.24% average is deceptively steady — there are no long descents to reset the legs, only near-continuous uphill. With total ascent (2154 m) sitting just 73 m above net gain (2081 m), the profile is almost entirely one-directional. Expect gradient to breathe around that average: gentler ramps where you can find rhythm, steeper pitches where you dig in. Because the climb tops out at 2216 m, the final third plays out at real altitude, where thinner air quietly steepens every percent your legs already feel. Treat the whole thing as one long tempo effort rather than a series of separate climbs.

Pacing Notes

On a climb this long, pacing is everything — start too hard and the last 10 km will unravel you. Anchor your effort to a percentage of your FTP and hold it honestly. For a 39.7 km ascent, most riders should sit comfortably below threshold, saving matches for the higher, thinner-air sections near 2216 m. If you don't know your number, run the FTP estimator before you go and set a power ceiling you can defend for well over an hour. Discipline early buys you strength late; the 2081 m of net gain rewards riders who ration effort rather than chase it.

Gearing

Long and altitude-heavy, Passo di Ceda demands a climbing-friendly setup. Do not under-gear. A compact 34-tooth chainring paired with a wide cassette is the sensible baseline — a 34×32 will cover most of the 5.24% terrain and let you spin rather than mash across 39.7 km. On the steeper pitches, or if you fade in the final stretch toward the 2216 m summit, a 34×34 gives you a genuine bailout gear to keep cadence high and knees happy. Given 2154 m of total ascent, the extra range is cheap insurance; you will be glad of it in the last hour.

Summary

Passo di Ceda is defined by distance and altitude rather than raw steepness. 39.7 km at 5.24%, climbing from 135 m to 2216 m, is a full day's worth of ascending in a single effort — a rightful HC. Pace it patiently, gear it generously, and respect the 2081 m your legs must lift you.

Length: 39.7 km
Average gradient: 5.24%
Max gradient: n/a
Start: 135 m
Summit: 2216 m
Net gain: 2081 m
Total ascent: 2154 m
Category: HC