29.2
PDI
16.2 mi
DISTANCE
5,140 ft
GAINED
5.9 %
AVG. GRADE
FULL CLIMB STATS
INTRO
Romano d'Ezzelino's ascent up Monte Grappa - known locally as the Strada Cadorna - is the mountain's original and most-ridden route to the summit. It climbs 26.0 km (16.2 mi) and gains 1,567 m (5,140 ft) at a 5.9% average grade, starting from the roundabout on Piazza Luigi Cadorna (150 m/491 ft) and finishing at the Sacrario Militare di Monte Grappa, 1,676 m (5,500 ft).
It's Monte Grappa's "Classic Route": 3,453 recorded Strava attempts, edging out the Semonzo approach's 3,337 and dwarfing the mountain's other nine ascents (15 to 850 attempts). Of the eleven approaches sharing this one summit, Romano d'Ezzelino also goes the longest without merging into another - solo until km 23.7, where the northern Cismon, Caupo, and Seren routes join in, then picking up the remaining six approaches just 0.6 km from the top. Seven numbered switchbacks between km 1.6 and 6.4 give the only real hairpin sequence on this side, with open views back over Romano d'Ezzelino and Bassano del Grappa.
This was the Giro d'Italia's first finish atop Monte Grappa - Stage 10 of the 1968 Giro, won by Emilio Casalini - and it's the starting point for the Brevetto del Grappa, an annual challenge to ride the mountain's eleven ascents, stamped at each start and again at the shared finish, Rifugio Bassano, just below the WWI ossuary. The road also carries the annual Monte Grappa Bike Day (most recently June 27, 2026), closing to motor traffic for a free, car-free ride to the summit; a newly completed bridge at Ponte San Lorenzo has removed what was long this route's worst traffic bottleneck the rest of the year.
PLAN YOUR ROUTE
We've partnered with Sherpa-Map.com to bring you the best route planning tool. With a PRO Membership you can use this climb as a reference when creating your route. Romano d'Ezzelino's average grade is 5.9% over 26.0 km (16.2 mi) - essentially tied with the Cismon route as the mildest average of Monte Grappa's eleven ascents, though "mild" only describes the average, not the profile. The steepest sustained stretch is the opening switchback section: the steepest 100 yards touches 10.1%, and the steepest kilometer averages 9.4% (steepest mile, 8.9%). The grade eases through the wooded middle miles, ticks back up briefly around the steepest 5 km (8.0%), then settles into a long, moderate grind for the final third - steepest 10 km, 7.0% - before the last push to the Sacrario.
Roadway: The Strada Cadorna is paved for the entire 26.0 km (16.2 mi), well-maintained and wide enough for two-way traffic through the switchbacks - it's the main year-round motor route to Cima Grappa, so it stays in good repair. A newly completed bridge at Ponte San Lorenzo bypassed a long-standing bottleneck partway up the climb, easing what used to be the road's worst pinch point. Check Provincia di Vicenza's road-alert page before you go, since winter snow can still close the upper stretch.
Traffic: Because this is the primary paved access to Cima Grappa for cars and motorcycles as well as cyclists, traffic is moderate to heavy on weekends, especially Sundays, and particularly on the lower stretch up to Ponte San Lorenzo. It thins out considerably above the tree line. Once a year, in late June, the entire Strada Cadorna closes to motor vehicles for Monte Grappa Bike Day, when this specific route out of Romano d'Ezzelino is opened exclusively to cyclists.
Parking: The climb starts at the roundabout on Piazza Luigi Cadorna (SP 148) in the center of Romano d'Ezzelino, a town of about 14,600 people; informal street parking is available around the piazza. Antica Osteria Pedrocchi, at Piazzale Cadorna 16 just off the roundabout, is this route's Brevetto del Grappa stamping stop and a useful landmark for finding the start.
A standard road bike is fine here - the road is paved the entire way, including through the switchbacks. Romano d'Ezzelino and neighboring Bassano del Grappa give this route more pre-ride provisioning than most of Monte Grappa's smaller starting villages - bakeries, cafes, and Antica Osteria Pedrocchi are all a short ride from the roundabout - but as on every Monte Grappa approach, there's nothing along the climb itself until Rifugio Bassano's cafe at the summit, so fill bottles before you leave town. Pack a light layer for the top: the 1,676 m (5,500 ft) finish is noticeably cooler and windier than the base, even in summer.
Before heading out on any cycling adventure check out our Things to Bring on a Cycling Trip and use our interactive check list to ensure you don't forget anything.
Base yourself in Bassano del Grappa, the area's largest town and a few minutes from the Romano d'Ezzelino start, with a fuller range of hotels and restaurants for a multi-day Monte Grappa trip. We stayed at the Hotel Alla Corte - reasonably priced, English-speaking, and happy to call ahead to the Brevetto stamping locations to confirm hours before each day's ride.
If you're chasing the Brevetto del Grappa, this is where it starts: the Journey Book is purchased in Romano d'Ezzelino, then stamped at Antica Osteria Pedrocchi at the start of this route and again at Rifugio Bassano on the summit. Riders who collect enough stamps across the mountain's eleven ascents in a season earn a bronze, silver, or gold brevet.
Monte Grappa's eleven paved approaches share one summit, which makes the whole mountain a natural multi-day project - our Routes in the Area tool is a good way to see the other ten from here and plan which to pair with this one.
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