26.3
PDI
11 mi
DISTANCE
4,069 ft
GAINED
7 %
AVG. GRADE
FULL CLIMB STATS
INTRO
Pila is a 17.7 km (11.0 mi) paved climb from Gressan, just outside Aosta in northwest Italy's Valle d'Aosta, up to the Pila ski resort. It averages 7.0% and gains 1,241 m (4,069 ft) on the wide, well-maintained SR18 regional road, winding through roughly 19 numbered hairpins above the hamlet of Taxel.
This exact Gressan-side ascent made its Giro d'Italia debut on May 23, 2026, as the summit finish of Stage 14 from Aosta - described as an "unprecedented" approach, since Pila's three earlier Giro finishes climbed the resort from its other side, via Pont-Suaz. Jonas Vingegaard attacked 4.6 km from the line and won the stage solo, taking the maglia rosa from Afonso Eulalio on his way to winning the overall race and completing his set of all three Grand Tour titles.
Away from race day, this is a quiet resort-access road with big panoramas - the Pila basin looks out toward Mont Blanc, the Matterhorn, Monte Rosa, and Gran Paradiso. The resort is also reachable by gondola from Aosta's Pont-Suaz district, so it's easy to ride up and gondola down (or the reverse) if you'd rather not descend by bike.
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. Pila climbs 17.7 km (11.0 mi) from Gressan up to the ski resort, gaining 1,241 m (4,069 ft) at an average grade of 7.0%. The road starts around 624 m (2,047 ft) and tops out near 1,864 m (6,115 ft).
The lower slopes aren't gentle either - the steepest quarter-mile averages 13.2%, and the steepest kilometer holds 9.3%. In the 2026 Giro d'Italia, the final kilometers were measured at roughly 9%, with ramps to 11% about 3 km from the finish line.
Roadway: The climb follows the SR18 regional road, which recent accounts - including coverage from the 2026 Giro d'Italia - describe as wide and well-surfaced through its roughly 19 hairpins. We found no report of an active closure or repaving project on this stretch as of 2026; a separate summer trail restriction above the resort near the Eremo di San Grato does not affect this road.
Traffic: Traffic is light to moderate. This is the main access road for a year-round resort town, so expect more cars on ski-season weekends and during the summer tourist season, but it's a generally quiet climb the rest of the time.
Parking: Gressan and the La Borettaz/Taxel area at the base have roadside parking to start from. There's also free parking near the Pila gondola's base station in Aosta's Pont-Suaz district, a good option if you'd rather start from the valley floor in Aosta itself.
Gear: Standard road gearing handles the 7.0% average, but bring a low gear for the steeper hairpins - the final kilometers and the steepest quarter-mile both push into the 11-13% range.
Provisions: Gressan and Aosta have full services (grocery stores, cafes, bike shops) at the base, and Pila itself has hotels and restaurants at the top, so you won't need to carry much beyond water for the climb itself.
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.
Pila's Gressan-side road made its Giro d'Italia debut only in 2026, when Stage 14 finished here on May 23 - Jonas Vingegaard rode away over the final kilometers to win solo and take the leader's jersey, going on to win the overall race. The road also hosts an annual amateur "Cicloscalata Gressan-Pila" hillclimb that doubles as the regional mountain championship, so this stretch sees organized racing well beyond the occasional Grand Tour visit.
If you'd rather not ride back down, the Pila resort connects to Aosta's Pont-Suaz district by gondola - useful for a one-way trip, or for basing here while exploring other Valle d'Aosta climbs. For other climbs in the area, our Routes in the Area tool is a good way to see what else is nearby.
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