Passo Guil

Overview

Passo Guil is a hors catégorie monster that packs almost everything hard about climbing into a compact 8.4 km. From a start at just 86 m, the road claws its way to a 1209 m summit — a net gain of 1123 m — at an average gradient of 13.44%. That average alone would put most climbs in the "brutal" bracket, but the number that stops riders cold is the 25.37% max. This is not a climb you settle into; it's one you survive. At an HC rating, it sits above category 1, 2, 3 and 4 — the hardest tier there is.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The shape here is defined by its ferocity rather than variety. With a 13.44% average sustained over 8.4 km, there is very little respite baked into the profile. The recorded total ascent of 1047 m against a net gain of 1123 m tells you almost every metre of forward progress is also a metre upward — there are no long descending recovery stretches to break the rhythm. The 25.37% max gradient marks the single cruelest pitch, likely a short ramp that spikes well above the already-savage average. Expect the climb to alternate between passages near the 13.44% mean and sharper kicks that drag toward that maximum. Because the summit sits at only 1209 m, altitude is not the enemy here — raw steepness is.

Pacing Notes

On a climb this steep, pacing is really about not blowing up on the ramps. Ride the sections near the 13.44% average just under your threshold, and treat the pitches climbing toward 25.37% as efforts to absorb, not attack. Knowing your FTP matters more here than on gentler climbs, because on a 25.37% wall your power spikes hard whether you like it or not — a few seconds of overshoot can cost you the rest of the climb. If you're unsure where your threshold sits, run the numbers through the FTP estimator before you commit to a strategy. Over 8.4 km with 1123 m to gain, discipline in the first half buys you a climb you can finish rather than one you crawl.

Gearing

Gear for the maximum, not the average. A 13.44% mean with a 25.37% max is firmly compact-plus-wide-cassette territory. A 34×32 is the sensible floor for most riders, but on the steepest ramps toward 25.37% you'll be grateful for every extra tooth — a 34×34 gives you the low-cadence lifeline that keeps you spinning instead of grinding to a track stand. If your bike accepts it, err toward the 34×34. Over 1123 m of climbing packed into 8.4 km, the right gear is the difference between rhythm and rigor mortis.

Summary

Passo Guil is short, savage and unforgiving — 8.4 km that never lets up, capped by a 25.37% pitch that defines its reputation. Come with low gearing, honest pacing, and respect for the average.

Length: 8.4 km
Average gradient: 13.44%
Max gradient: 25.37%
Start: 86 m
Summit: 1209 m
Net gain: 1123 m
Total ascent: 1047 m
Category: HC