17.8
PDI
9.7 mi
DISTANCE
3,120 ft
GAINED
6.1 %
AVG. GRADE
FULL CLIMB STATS
INTRO
This is the climb to the Passo del Giogo by way of Crespiano, the back road to the high pass country at the head of Lunigiana. It covers 15.5 km (9.6 mi) from near Varano, in Licciana Nardi, gaining 951 m (3120 ft) at an average of 6.1%, from 300 m (983 ft) to 1243 m (4079 ft). The Passo del Giogo sits just above the better-known Passo del Lagastrello: the two are less than 2 km (1.2 mi) apart, and the Giogo is the higher of the two.
After a gentle first 2 km (1.2 mi) past the hamlet of Crespiano, the road climbs steadily through Groppo San Pietro to Comano, then keeps going at 6% to 8% for the last 10 km (6.2 mi), with switchbacks above the village and the steepest kilometer at 9.2%. This is a narrow, little-used road through small villages, woods and open pasture, with views south to the marble peaks of the Apuan Alps and north to the main Tuscan-Emilian Apennine ridge. Partway up you pass the Panchina Gigante di Comano, one of the oversized "Big Benches" installed across Italy, set on the road in 2021.
The villages along the way have real history: Crespiano's Pieve di Santa Maria Assunta, the cylindrical tower left from Comano's 11th-century Malaspina castle, and the castle ruins at Groppo San Pietro, once held by Guelphs who opposed the Malaspina. It ranks #1262 on our list of the world's hardest climbs.
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. Our route covers 15.5 km (9.6 mi) from 300 m (983 ft) near Varano to 1243 m (4079 ft) at the Passo del Giogo, a gain of 951 m (3120 ft) at an average of 6.1%.
The first 2 km (1.2 mi), past Crespiano, average just 2.4%. From there the climb never really lets up: the 3 km (1.9 mi) to Comano average 6.1%, and the remaining 10.5 km (6.5 mi) above the village average 6.8%. The steepest part is the run of switchbacks between km 9 and km 12, where three straight kilometers average 8.1% and one reaches 8.9%. The grade eases only in the final few hundred meters to the pass.
The steepest 0.5 km (0.3 mi) averages 10.0%, the steepest 1 km (0.6 mi) 9.2%, the steepest mile (1.6 km) 8.7%, the steepest 2 km (1.2 mi) 8.6%, the steepest 5 km (3.1 mi) 7.6% and the steepest 10 km (6.2 mi) 7.2%.
Roadway: Paved the entire way, but this is a narrow mountain road, and above Comano the surface is rough in places, with cracks, patches and loose gravel at the edges. Wider tires make both the climb and the descent more comfortable, and take the switchbacks carefully on the way down. At the top the road meets the route over the Passo del Lagastrello, so you can descend that way instead to make a loop back to Licciana Nardi.
Traffic: Very light. The lower section carries local traffic for Crespiano, Groppo San Pietro and Comano, and above Comano you'll see few cars at all. The main through traffic between Lunigiana and Emilia uses the Lagastrello road instead.
Parking: The start is a junction on the valley road rather than a village. Licciana Nardi, a few kilometers down the Taverone valley, is the nearest town of any size and the easiest place to leave a car. Riders who want a shorter climb can start in Comano and park considerately in the village, which leaves about 10.5 km (6.5 mi) and 713 m (2339 ft) of climbing to the pass.
Gear: The grade rarely exceeds 9% for long, but there is almost no recovery after the first 2 km (1.2 mi), so a compact crankset with a 30 or 32 tooth largest cog is a sensible choice. Use tires of 28 mm or wider for the rough upper section, and pack a layer: the pass is nearly 950 m (3117 ft) above the start and much cooler than the Lunigiana valley floor.
Provisions: Fill your bottles in Licciana Nardi before you start. Comano is the last village of any size on the route, and there are no services at the pass, so carry enough water and food for the upper 10 km (6.2 mi).
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.
Comano is a scattered municipality of small hamlets at the foot of the Alpe di Camporaghena, and it rewards a slow day off the bike. Look for the Lombard-Romanesque Pieve di Santa Maria Assunta in Crespiano, a village first recorded in 1143; Camporaghena, known for its carved stone portals, coats of arms and grotesque sculptures; and the Malaspina tower on its hill above Comano. In September the village hosts Comano Cavalli, a horse fair with shows, folk music and a market of local products.
Local food has its own specialties beyond the testaroli you'll find all over Lunigiana: try carscenta, a sweet focaccia with anise seeds, raisins and pine nuts, and the valley's DOP honey. Just over the Lagastrello, a few hundred meters into Emilia, the Lago Paduli reservoir has an easy loop walk of about 5.5 km (3.4 mi). The Passo Lagastrello and Passo Scalucchia climbs also start nearby, so see other climbs nearby, or build a custom route from here, with our Routes in the Area tool.
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