Passo della Scaletta

Overview

Passo della Scaletta is a category 1 climb that asks 17 km of steady work from your legs. From a low start at 75 m, the road lifts to a summit of 1123 m, banking a net elevation gain of 1048 m over its length. The average gradient of 6.18% tells you this is a genuine sustained effort rather than a short, punchy wall — but the 15.05% maximum warns that the road does not stay polite the whole way up. With a total ascent of 1055 m recorded across the full profile, there is barely any respite built in; nearly every metre you gain, you keep.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The gap between the 1048 m of net gain and the 1055 m of total ascent is only a handful of metres, which means false flats and downhill kickers are almost non-existent here. This is a climb that trends upward almost continuously for all 17 km. At 6.18% average, the bulk of the road sits in that draining, tempo-defying zone where you are always working but never quite recovering. The 15.05% max gradient is more than double the average, so expect the difficulty to arrive in concentrated ramps rather than being smeared evenly across the ascent. When the road tips toward those steeper pitches, your speed will drop sharply, and the smooth rhythm you built on the shallower sections evaporates.

Pacing Notes

On a climb this long, discipline beats bravado. Anchor your effort to your sustainable power rather than the number on the sign. A useful rule of thumb is to hold the shallower kilometres a touch below your FTP so you have headroom for the 15.05% ramps, where power spikes are unavoidable. Because the climb runs 17 km, even small pacing errors compound — going 5% too hard early can cost you minutes late. If you do not know your threshold, run the numbers through the FTP estimator before you commit to a target, then ride the first third conservatively and reassess. The near-total absence of recovery gradients means you cannot count on coasting to reset your heart rate, so treat the whole climb as one continuous effort.

Gearing

With 1048 m of climbing at 6.18% and ramps hitting 15.05%, gearing generously is the smart call. A compact 34-tooth inner chainring is the sensible starting point. Paired with a 34×32, most riders will spin the tempo sections comfortably and survive the steep pitches out of the saddle. If you weigh more, ride at lower cadence, or expect to be fatigued deep into the 17 km, step up to a 34×34 for extra insurance on the 15.05% ramps. The lower ratio keeps your cadence high enough to protect your knees and spare your threshold for the top of the climb.

Summary

Passo della Scaletta is a long, honest category 1 climb: 17 km of near-continuous ascent at 6.18%, punctuated by ramps as steep as 15.05%. Pace it to your threshold, gear low, and respect the length.

Length: 17 km
Average gradient: 6.18%
Max gradient: 15.05%
Start: 75 m
Summit: 1123 m
Net gain: 1048 m
Total ascent: 1055 m
Category: 1