Passo di Publino

Passo di Publino cycling climb profile

Passo di Publino is an HC climb in Italy with the kind of headline profile that changes the entire way you should ride it: 20 km long, 10.22% average gradient, starting at 280 m and topping out at 2328 m. That is 2048 m of net elevation gain, with 2174 m of total ascent, so this is not a climb where the average tells a soft story. The average is already severe, and the reported maximum gradient of 30.08% means the gearing and pacing decisions have to be made for survival on the steepest ground, not for comfort on the mean gradient.

How the gradient unfolds

With the available profile data, the important point is the scale and consistency of the climbing load rather than a detailed kilometre-by-kilometre breakdown. Over 20 km, an average of 10.22% means the climb demands sustained force production for a long time, not just a short anaerobic response to a steep ramp. The start at 280 m and summit at 2328 m also tells you the climb keeps stacking elevation all the way to the top, with no easy interpretation that this is merely a rolling ascent.

The total ascent figure of 2174 m being higher than the net gain of 2048 m suggests the profile is not just a perfectly clean arithmetic ramp from bottom to summit. For riding purposes, that matters because any brief easing is unlikely to make the climb feel easier overall. On a climb averaging 10.22%, flatter or less steep moments are recovery opportunities, but they are not invitations to lift the pace.

Pacing strategy

The correct approach is conservative from the bottom. A 20 km climb at this average gradient punishes early optimism because the muscular cost is high from the first sustained steep section. If you ride the opening by feel and let the gradient drag you above threshold, the back half becomes a damage-limitation exercise.

Use /glossary/ftp as an anchor, but do not chase an exact power target blindly. On gradients this steep, cadence interruptions, traction, and short ramps near the 30.08% maximum can force spikes. The goal is to keep those spikes brief and return immediately to a controlled climbing effort. If you need to stand, stand to preserve cadence and torque, not to attack the climb.

Gearing notes

Gear for the maximum gradient, not the 10.22% average. The easiest gear that feels excessive at the base may become the gear that keeps the climb rideable when the road pitches up. Low cadence grinding for long periods is the mistake to avoid here, because the climb is long enough that repeated high-torque efforts accumulate quickly.

A sensible setup is one that lets you stay seated as much as possible, keep pressure smooth, and avoid turning every steep ramp into a strength test. If you are unsure whether your current gearing is low enough, use /tools/ftp-estimator to sanity-check the power side, then be honest about whether you can sustain that effort when the gradient is repeatedly severe. Passo di Publino is not a climb to over-gear.