Passo Folungo

Overview

Passo Folungo is a Category 1 ascent that asks a genuine question of your legs. Over 16.3 km it climbs from 221 m to a summit of 1349 m, a net gain of 1128 m at an average gradient of 6.94%. The total ascent is 1184 m, meaning there are small dips or false flats along the way that give back a little height before you have to earn it again. This is a climb long enough to punish overreaching and steep enough that there is nowhere to truly hide, with a maximum pitch of 14.47% waiting to catch anyone who started too hot.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The headline number, 6.94%, is a sustained figure rather than a gentle one. On a climb of this length, an average near 7% means you are rarely coasting. The gap between the net gain of 1128 m and the total ascent of 1184 m tells you something useful: roughly 56 m of the elevation you climb is repeated after brief descents or flatter respites. Those interruptions can break rhythm, so treat them as recovery rather than an excuse to surge. The defining feature is the spread between average and maximum. When the road tilts toward its 14.47% peak, the effort more than doubles relative to the average, and those ramps are where time is won or lost.

Pacing Notes

Ride this climb by effort, not ego. A steady output anchored around your FTP is the surest way to reach 1349 m without blowing apart on the steep sections. Given the 16.3 km distance, most riders should sit slightly below threshold on the average grades and allow the effort to rise naturally on the 14.47% ramps rather than fighting to hold a fixed speed. If you do not know your sustainable number yet, run the numbers through the FTP estimator before you commit to a pacing plan. Banking energy early pays off: the final third of any 6.94% average climb feels considerably steeper than the first.

Gearing

With 1128 m of climbing at 6.94% and pitches to 14.47%, gearing is not a place to be brave. A compact chainset paired with a wide-range cassette is the sensible baseline. A 34×32 will get most fit riders up the average grades while keeping cadence respectable, but on the 14.47% sections that ratio starts to feel heavy under fatigue. If you have any doubt about your climbing legs, fit a 34×34 instead: the extra sprocket buys you a lower cadence floor exactly where the road is cruelest, and spinning a slightly easier gear over 16.3 km protects your knees and your reserves.

Summary

Passo Folungo rewards patience and honest pacing. Respect the 14.47% ramps, ride within your FTP, and choose gearing that lets you spin rather than grind, and the summit at 1349 m will come.

Length: 16.3 km
Average gradient: 6.94%
Max gradient: 14.47%
Start: 221 m
Summit: 1349 m
Net gain: 1128 m
Total ascent: 1184 m
Category: 1