Passo Ventoso

Overview

Passo Ventoso is a long, patient climb rather than a wall. Over 23.9 km it lifts you from 236 m at the base to a 1249 m summit, a net gain of 1013 m. Its category 1 rating comes not from savage steepness but from sheer length: the average gradient of 4.24% is deceptively gentle, and the honest total ascent of 1057 m tells you there is a little false-flat give-back along the way. This is a climb you settle into for the better part of an hour and simply keep turning over.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The headline number to respect is the 12.26% maximum. That spike is the exception, not the rule — with an average of 4.24% across nearly 24 km, most of the road sits well below it. The gap between the 1013 m net gain and the 1057 m total ascent means the profile is not perfectly monotonic; expect a few flatter passages or shallow dips that briefly hand back elevation before the road tilts up again. Practically, the climb tends to alternate: stretches near the average that let you breathe, punctuated by steeper pitches that drag toward that 12.26% ceiling. Ride the easy sections honestly and save something for the ramps.

Pacing Notes

On a climb this long, pacing is everything. The average of 4.24% means power, not gravity, sets your speed, so anchor your effort to your FTP rather than to how the gradient feels moment to moment. Target a steady sub-threshold effort you can hold for the full 23.9 km, then allow yourself to push above it only on the steepest pitches near 12.26% before easing back. If you don't know your threshold number, run it through the FTP estimator first — going in blind on 1013 m of climbing is how you blow up two-thirds of the way to 1249 m. The false-flat sections are recovery, not attacking terrain; keep the pressure smooth and let the steep bits come to you.

Gearing

For a 23.9 km effort with ramps to 12.26%, gear for the length, not just the peak. A compact 34-tooth inner chainring is the sensible starting point. Pair it with a 34×32 as a baseline for riders with good climbing legs, giving enough range to spin the average 4.24% comfortably while still coping with the steep pitches. If you'd rather protect your knees over 1057 m of total ascent, or you're carrying fatigue, size up to a 34×34 — the extra sprocket keeps your cadence alive on the 12.26% ramps late in the climb, when the accumulated gain starts to bite.

Summary

Passo Ventoso rewards discipline: pace it by power, gear it generously, and let the 23.9 km unwind beneath you toward the 1249 m summit.

Length: 23.9 km
Average gradient: 4.24%
Max gradient: 12.26%
Start: 236 m
Summit: 1249 m
Net gain: 1013 m
Total ascent: 1057 m
Category: 1