Passo del Muretto

Overview

Passo del Muretto is a hors catégorie climb, the hardest rating a road ascent can carry. Over 22 km it lifts you from a valley floor at 387 m to a summit at 1917 m, a net elevation gain of 1530 m. The average gradient of 6.97% is a number that flatters the reality: an HC pass is never a metronome, and this one hides a maximum pitch of 29.45% that will find the weakest gear in your legs and your bike. With 1458 m of total ascent packed into a single sustained effort, this is a climb that rewards patience and punishes bravado.

How the Gradient Unfolds

Think about the arithmetic. A 22 km climb at 6.97% would, if perfectly even, ask a steady grind the whole way. But the gap between that 6.97% average and the 29.45% maximum tells the real story: there are pitches here far steeper than the mean, which means there must also be gentler stretches that pull the average back down. Expect the climb to breathe — sections where you settle into rhythm, then ramps that spike well into double digits and beyond. The net gain of 1530 m against a total ascent of 1458 m confirms the road climbs almost continuously, with little wasted descending. Read the road ahead and save something for the ramps, because the 29.45% wall is not a place to be caught in the wrong gear.

Pacing Notes

On a climb this long, discipline beats ambition. Anchor your effort to your FTP and hold the early kilometres a touch under threshold — 22 km at 6.97% is a sustained aerobic test, not a sprint, and the steepest pitches will spike your power involuntarily no matter how well you meter the flatter parts. Let the ramps come to you; absorb the 29.45% sections by dropping into your easiest gear and spinning through rather than muscling over. If you do not know your threshold, run the numbers first with the FTP estimator so you climb to a target instead of guessing. Budget for a long time in the saddle: gaining 1530 m of altitude is measured in effort, not minutes.

Gearing

Gear for the maximum, not the average. The 6.97% mean is manageable, but the 29.45% max pitch is what dictates your setup. A compact 34-tooth chainring is the sensible front end here. On the cassette, a 34×32 is the minimum you should consider for a climb of this length and gradient — and given that 22 km at nearly 7% average with a wall approaching 30% will grind down tired legs, a 34×34 is the smarter choice for most riders. That extra tooth turns a survival slog into a spin, letting you protect your knees and hold cadence when the road stands up. Err toward easier gearing; you will never regret it on a 1530 m ascent.

Summary

Passo del Muretto is a genuine HC test: 22 km, 6.97% average, and a 29.45% max that demands respect and the right gearing. Pace it to your threshold, gear for the steepest ramp, and let the mountain come to you.

Length: 22 km
Average gradient: 6.97%
Max gradient: 29.45%
Start: 387 m
Summit: 1917 m
Net gain: 1530 m
Total ascent: 1458 m
Category: HC