19
PDI
4.5 mi
DISTANCE
2,335 ft
GAINED
9.9 %
AVG. GRADE
FULL CLIMB STATS
INTRO
Colle Passerino is short and relentlessly steep: 7.2 km (4.5 mi) from Fanano at a 9.9% average, gaining 712 m (2,335 ft) from 633 m (2,077 ft) to 1,345 m (4,412 ft). Every full kilometer runs between 8.6% and 11.6%, so there is nowhere to recover once you start. It ranks #1103 on our list of the world's hardest climbs.
The route follows Via Cà Frati, a narrow road climbing through the woods above Fanano, to the Colle Passerino saddle at about 1,050 m (3,445 ft), a little over 4 km (2.5 mi) in. It then keeps climbing on Via Passerino through the forest toward Pian del Falco, the ski area above Sestola on the slopes of Monte Cimone, finishing at 1,345 m (4,412 ft) with a final kilometer at 11%.
The lower half has real racing pedigree. In 2021 the Giro d'Italia used Colle Passerino as the last categorized climb of stage 4 into Sestola, where Joe Dombrowski won the stage and Alessandro De Marchi took the pink jersey. A month later the U23 Giro came over the same climb, and Juan Ayuso set the benchmark time of 13:22 to the saddle on his way to winning the stage in Sestola.
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. Colle Passerino averages 9.9% over 7.2 km (4.5 mi), with 712 m (2,335 ft) of climbing, and there is no easy kilometer anywhere:
km 0-1: 8.6% out of Fanano.
km 1-3: 10.9% and then 11.6% - the hardest sustained stretch of the climb.
km 3-6: 8.9-9.5%, cresting Colle Passerino at about 1,050 m (3,445 ft) a little after km 4 and carrying on uphill toward Pian del Falco.
km 6-7.2: a final kick at 11.0%, easing to 7.8% in the last few hundred meters.
The steepest 0.5 km (0.3 mi) averages 13.7%, the steepest 1 km (0.6 mi) 12.0%, the steepest 2 km (1.2 mi) 11.2%, and the steepest 5 km (3.1 mi) 10.1%. The 2021 U23 Giro listed a maximum of 16% on the climb to the saddle.
Roadway: Paved all the way. Via Cà Frati is a narrow, wooded mountain road with steep, tight bends, and above Colle Passerino the road continues through the forest toward Pian del Falco. Grades this steep make for a fast, demanding descent, so keep your speed in check and watch for oncoming cars on the narrow sections. Expect snow on the upper road in winter, when the ski area above is open.
Traffic: Light. This is a narrow back road between Fanano and the Sestola side of the mountain, and you will meet only the occasional local car. Traffic picks up toward Pian del Falco when the ski lifts are running.
Parking: Fanano is a small mountain town, so park in a public car park or on the street near the centre, keep clear of residents' spaces and driveways, and ride the short distance to the start on the edge of town.
Provisions: Fill your bottles at the fountain in Fanano's Piazza Vittoria before you start - there are no services on the climb. A well-reviewed piadina shop near the square makes a good post-ride stop.
Gear: Gear low. With nearly 3 km (1.9 mi) at 11-12% and a maximum around 16%, a compact crankset with a 32- or 34-tooth cog is a sensible choice. The forest shades much of the road, which helps on hot summer days, but bring a layer for the descent from 1,345 m (4,412 ft).
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.
Fanano is the main gateway to the Parco Regionale dell'Alto Appennino Modenese, and it calls itself the "city of stone": more than 200 contemporary works from its International Stone Sculpture Symposium stand in the town and the surrounding villages, so you ride past open-air art on the way out. The town's roots run back to the 8th century, when the monk Anselm founded a monastery and pilgrims' hospice in the valley before going on to found the great abbey of Nonantola.
Above you rises Monte Cimone, at 2,165 m (7,103 ft) the highest peak in the northern Apennines, and over the ridge is Sestola, a Giro finish town since 1971, when José Manuel Fuente won there; Giulio Ciccone won the town's first finish in the centre in 2016. Local specialties to look for after the ride include crescentine and borlenghi, plus bilberries in jams and liqueurs - Fanano holds a bilberry festival every August.
Weather on the Cimone slopes can change quickly, so check current conditions before you go with our Weather tool.
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