Mortirolo Pass: Cycling's Steepest Ramp

The Passo del Mortirolo is a legend of world cycling and a secret of Alpine motorcycling. Located in the Val Camonica (province of Brescia), this 1,852-metre pass has the distinction of offering one of the steepest climbs in the entire Alpine range: the ascent from Mazzo di Valtellina includes stretches with gradients of 18%, a brutal incline that achieved mythical status in the cycling world after Marco Pantani attacked on its ramps during the 1994 Giro d'Italia.

The geology of the Mortirolo is that of the Val Camonica: crystalline schists and gneiss from the Hercynian basement, rocks 300 million years old that shape a landscape of steep, forested hillsides without the spectacular vertical forms of the Dolomites. What the Mortirolo offers the rider is not the grand scenery of the Dolomite passes, but something different: a total immersion experience in the Alpine forest, with the road winding among beeches, firs and larches in an ascent that seems never to end.

The Mortirolo road is narrow (barely room for two cars), very lightly trafficked, and surfaced with tarmac that ranges from decent to deteriorated depending on the section. The tight bends at the top demand precise riding technique: hard braking, tight turn-in, gentle throttle to avoid spinning on the gritty asphalt. This is a pass for experienced riders who relish pure technical challenge, free from the distractions of mass tourism. At the summit there is a monument to Marco Pantani and little else: a forest clearing, a couple of benches, and silence.

Edolo, the base town on the southern side, is a historic crossroads of the Val Camonica: from here you can access the Mortirolo (north), the Aprica (east), the Tonale (northeast) and the Gavia (north). The local gastronomy is hearty mountain fare: casoncelli camuni (ravioli stuffed with meat, breadcrumbs and cheese), polenta taragna (polenta with melted Bitto cheese), capra al forno (oven-roasted goat with herbs) and the wines of the nearby Valtellina valley (Sforzato, Sassella).

Practical riding info: the Mortirolo is open from May to October. The ascent from Mazzo di Valtellina is the most famous but also the toughest; the ascent from Monno (south) is more gradual and better suited to heavy bikes. Watch out for cyclists: the Mortirolo is a cycling pilgrimage site and extreme caution is needed on blind corners. Fuel stations in Edolo and Mazzo. The Mortirolo combines perfectly with the Gavia and the Tonale for a triple-pass day that is one of the great classics of Alpine motorcycling.