Passo del Bracco

Overview

Passo del Bracco is a Category 2 climb in Italy, running 12.6 km from near sea level to its summit. It begins at just 4 m of elevation and tops out at 584 m, for a net elevation gain of 580 m. On paper that reads as a steady, moderate ascent with an average gradient of 4.61%.

That average is misleading. While the net gain is 580 m, the total ascent over the 12.6 km is 1258 m — meaning you climb roughly 678 m more than the endpoints suggest, and give most of that back on descents scattered through the route. This is a heavily undulating climb, not a smooth drag. Expect to shift between climbing and descending repeatedly, which raises the real effort well above what a 4.61% figure implies.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The 4.61% average is diluted by the descents and flatter recovery stretches folded into the profile. The climbing sections are steeper than the number suggests, and the effort comes in bursts rather than a single sustained grind. The steepest ramp hits 20.8% — a wall you must be geared and mentally prepared for.

• Flatter and downhill recovery sections that pull the average down
• Repeated short climbs stacked one after another
• Sharp pitches where the road kicks up well above 4.61%
• A single steepest ramp of 20.8% that demands your lowest gear

Pacing Notes

Do not pace this climb by even speed — the undulation makes that impossible and wasteful. Chasing a fixed pace up the ramps will spike your power and empty your legs before the summit. Pace by even effort instead, holding a controlled sustainable power output on the steep sections and letting your speed rise freely on the flatter and descending stretches.

Use the descents to recover, not to hammer. If you don't know your ceiling, run the FTP estimator first and set a target you can hold on the climbing bursts without going into the red on the 20.8% ramp.

Gearing

The steepest gradient here is what dictates your setup. At 20.8%, a standard road gearing will leave you grinding or walking. Fit a compact or sub-compact chainset paired with a wide-range cassette — a 34×32 or 34×34 gives you the low-end range to spin up the wall without stalling. Check your chainset and cassette before you ride; discovering you're under-geared at the base of a 20.8% ramp is not the place to find out.

Summary

• Length: 12.6 km
• Average gradient: 4.61%
• Maximum gradient: 20.8%
• Net elevation gain: 580 m
• Total ascent: 1258 m
• Category: 2

Passo del Bracco rewards riders who respect its undulation. Gear low, pace by effort, and treat the 1258 m of total ascent — not the modest net gain — as the true measure of the day.