Bocchin dell'Aseo

Overview

Bocchin dell'Aseo is one of the most brutal climbs you can point a road bike at. Over 9.9 km it averages a savage 13.75%, dragging you from a start elevation of 929 m up to a summit at 2295 m. That is 1366 m of net elevation gain packed into fewer than ten kilometres, with a total ascent of 1326 m once the minor undulations are accounted for. Rated HC — hors catégorie, the hardest tier above categories 1, 2, 3 and 4 — this is not a climb you drift up. It is a sustained wall that rarely relents, and the 37.32% maximum gradient tells you exactly how far the ramps can tilt when the road decides to punish you.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The defining feature here is not a single steep pitch but the relentlessness of the whole thing. A 13.75% average over 9.9 km means there is almost nowhere to breathe. On most climbs the average is dragged up by a few sharp corners; here the average is the climb. Expect long, straight ramps sitting well into the teens, punctuated by pitches that spike toward that 37.32% maximum. Those spikes are where riders unclip. Because the mean gradient is so high, even the "easier" sections are steep by any normal standard — a stretch at 10% will feel like recovery. Plan your effort around the fact that the road climbs 1366 m in the same distance most climbs use to gain a third of that.

Pacing Notes

On a climb this steep, pacing is everything. The 13.75% average means your power will sit above threshold the moment the gradient bites, so anchoring your effort to your FTP is essential — go out too hard on the lower ramps and the 37.32% pitches near the top will end your day. Aim to hold a controlled tempo that leaves headroom for the spikes, treating each steep section as a surge rather than a new baseline. If you are unsure where your threshold sits, run the numbers through the FTP estimator before you commit to a target. With 1366 m of climbing ahead, patience early buys you survival late.

Gearing

Do not under-gear this climb. A 13.75% average with ramps to 37.32% demands the easiest setup you can bolt on. A compact 34-tooth chainring paired with a 34×32 low gear is the sensible minimum, and many riders will be far happier with 34×34, giving you a true 1:1 ratio for the steepest pitches. On a 9.9 km wall this steep, a 34×34 lets you keep a survivable cadence instead of grinding to a standstill on the 37.32% ramps. If your frame and derailleur clear it, go lower still — there is no such thing as too easy a gear on Bocchin dell'Aseo.

Summary

Bocchin dell'Aseo is a pure test of climbing endurance: short in distance, merciless in gradient, and unforgiving from bottom to top. Respect the average, fear the maximum, gear low, and pace with discipline.

Length: 9.9 km
Average gradient: 13.75%
Max gradient: 37.32%
Start: 929 m
Summit: 2295 m
Net gain: 1366 m
Total ascent: 1326 m
Category: HC