Passo Giau is a climb in the region Belluno. It is 6.1 mi long and bridges 3028 ft of vertical ascent with an average gradient of 9.5%, resulting in a difficulty score of 914. The top of the ascent is located at 7343 ft above sea level. Climbfinder users shared 22 reviews of this climb and uploaded 45 photos.
Road name: SP 638
5.0 by JarinThis is an automatic translation, the original language is: Dutch.One of the toughest climbs I've done. The climb keeps going at a good percentage and even the hairpin bends hardly bring any relief. In addition, there is hardly any shelter so the sun can burn heavily. No catering outlets along the way so the restaurant at the top is invariably crowded. The view from the pass on Cortina d'Ampezzo is spectacular, as is the descent to it!... read more
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Beautiful, hard but at the top you are rewarded for the spectacle of the Dolomites. Avoid in summer because of too much traffic, if possible to do on nice days in May and June or September and October.
Bellissima, dura ma in cima si è ripagati per lo spettacolo delle Dolomiti. Da evitare in estate per il troppo traffico, se possibile da fare nelle belle giornate di Maggio e Giugno o Settembre e ottobre.
Ascent not to be missed if you go to those crazy areas. The best of the best with top views. watch out only for traffic (less present in this variant than the one going up from Cortina for obvious reasons). undoubtedly tough climb and you need a decent leg, especially if you want to attack other climbs like Falzarego as well.
Salita da non perdere se si vanno in quelle zone pazzesche. Il meglio del meglio con panorami top. attenzione solo al traffico (meno presente in questa variante rispetto a quella che sale da Cortina per ovvi motivi). salita indubbiamente tosta e serve una discreta gamba, soprattutto se se vogliono attaccare anche altre salite tipo il Falzarego.
Mighty col, it was during the Maratona that I cycled it very hot and at the top thunder and hail but a very difficult climb but still so beautiful
Machtige col, het was tijdens de Maratona dat ik hem fietste heel warm en op de top donder en hagel maar een heel lastige klim maar toch zo mooi
The Passo Giau is a climb I had wanted to ride ever since I saw it used in combination with the Falzarego pass in the 2016 Giro. So, the expecations were high as I started the climb even though it was raining ever so slightly. The first part of the climb is quite straight forward as you ascent up through a valley with only a few switchbacks to break the monotony of constant 9-10％ gradients. This part is also a bit shielded by forest trees, so you are not really sensing how much altitude is being gained. This continues until about halfway where the terrain opens up completely. A series of switchbacks follow and you can now see the dolomite rock formations ahead making the constant 10 ％ gradients more tolerable. Not before long, you notice the cars parked along the road and the passo summit is within reach. The summit itself is quite spectacular with an awesome view towards the rock mountain peak Ra Gusela. On the negative side, a lot of tourists go there, so the passo can be quite crowded..
Overall, I enjoyed the climb a lot. Steep enough to offer a real challenge, and yet, without the ridiculous gradients, that require special gearings. FWIW, I climbed it with a 36-32t cassette mounted but was on 36-25 most of the time.
Nice and steep, through the trees, partly creek alongside, this is the highlight of the Maratona. Nice suffering with all of us.
Lekker steil, door de bomen, deels beekje erlangs, dit is het hoogtepunt van de Maratona. Lekker lijden met z'n allen.
This is an absolutely not-to-be-missed climb, both for the gradients (definitely challenging) and for the scenery! All the fatigue is repaid by the breathtaking view of the Nuvolau that emerges from the last hairpin bends. The only drawback is the amount of people on motorbikes and cars going up to the pass.
Salita assolutamente da non perdere sia per le pendenze (decisamente impegnative) sia per i paesaggi attraversati! Tutta la fatica è ripagata dalla vista mozzafiato sul Nuvolau che spunta a partire dagli ultimi tornanti. Unico neo la quantità di gente in moto e macchina che sale al passo.
10/10 The does rank in the top 3 most beautiful climbs I have done in this area. A continuous nasty, but still doable, gradient. The hardest/steepest part is fortunately in the beginning but after that you can find a nice pace. The bridges bring some relief in terms of percentage. The road surface is good and there is a lot less traffic than other roads in the area. As you get towards the top the impressive 'stone' suddenly looms up, mighty pretty!
10/10 De staat wel in de top 3 mooiste beklimmingen die ik in dit gebied heb gedaan. Een continue vervelend, maar toch te doen, stijgingspercentage. Het zwaarste/steilste stuk zit gelukkig in het begin maar daarna kun je mooi een tempo zoeken. De bruggen brengen wat verlichting qua percentage. Het wegdek is goed en er is een stuk minder verkeer dan bij andere wegen in het gebied. Als je richting de top komt dan doemt de indrukwekkende 'steen' ineens op, machtig mooi!
Have done the climb twice now, First time was in 2015 in 30+ degrees and remembered that ride as a great agony.
Did it again in 2025, now a lot cooler with even some splashes of rain at the end during the Maratona. It was still incredibly tough, but doable with the right gearing and perseverance. I personally don't think it's the prettiest climb in this area, but it's an iconic one.
Heb de beklimming nu twee keer gedaan, Eerste keer was in 2015 in 30+ graden en herinnerde mij die rit als een grote kwelling.
In 2025 weer gedaan, nu een stuk koeler met zelfs wat spatjes regen aan het einde tijdens de Maratona. Het was nog steeds ontzettend zwaar, maar met de juiste gearing en volharding wel te doen. Ik vind het zelf niet de mooiste beklimming in deze buurt, maar het is wel een iconische.
This climb is pure enjoyment. Really super beautiful, but also nice and tough. However, the climb is very constant. Definitely grab this one!
Deze klim is puur genieten. Echt super mooi, maar ook wel lekker zwaar. De klim is echter heel constant. Pak deze echt zeker mee!
One of the toughest climbs I've done. The climb keeps going at a good percentage and even the hairpin bends hardly bring any relief. In addition, there is hardly any shelter so the sun can burn heavily. No catering outlets along the way so the restaurant at the top is invariably crowded. The view from the pass on Cortina d'Ampezzo is spectacular, as is the descent to it!
Een van de zwaarste klimmen die ik heb gedaan. De klim blijft maar tegen een flink percentage doortrekken en zelfs de haarspeldbochten brengen nauwelijks verzachting. Daarnaast is er nauwelijks beschutting dus kan de zon flink branden. Onderweg geen horecapunten dus bij het restaurant aan de top is het steevast druk. Het uitzicht vanaf de pas op Cortina d'Ampezzo is spectaculair, net als de afdaling er naartoe!
Beautiful, regular, fairly steep climb. Is part of the Maratona. Only at the top is a restaurant.
Prachtige, regelmatige, vrij steile klim. Maakt deel uit van de Maratona. Alleen aan de top is een restaurant.
Must do climb in the Dolomites. Climbs very steady at around 9-10％ throughout which is hard on the legs. The first half is through a lovely valley by a stream and then the hairpin bends take you above the tree line which offer superb views of the road ahead and the surrounding mountains. The view from the pass is out of this world and stunning. We descended to Pocol which is a terrific road down. This pass is definitely worth a trip.
Nice climb done a few summers ago, very even, hard but never too hard if you take it at the right pace. The many hairpin bends occasionally give you a chance to breathe, but overall the climb gives no respite. Exposed to the sun in the second part, at the end of this you will find a fantastic panorama at the top, which alone is worth the trip.
I found a lot of traffic, especially motorcyclists, so be careful going up and/or down.
I recommend that those who are trained do the loop tour including the Falzarego Pass, which is much gentler in gradients but also longer.
Bella salita fatta qualche estate fa, molto regolare, dura ma mai troppo dura, se la si prende col giusto ritmo. I molti tornanti danno in qualche caso modo di respirare, ma nel suo complesso la salita non dà tregua. Esposta al sole nella seconda parte, al termine di questa troverete un panorama fantastico in cima, che da solo vale il viaggio.
Ho trovato molto traffico, specialmente motociclisti, per cui fate attenzione salendo e/o scendendo.
Consiglio per chi è allenato di fare il giro ad anello comprendendo il passo Falzarego, molto più dolce nelle pendenze ma anche più lungo.
Tough but doable, travelled a dozen times, always during the summer holiday period in August. The traffic depends a lot on the time of day, in the morning quite a lot and in the early afternoon much better. You have to pick up the pace and climb regularly without any jerks, last time I climbed with 35x25 without any problems.
Dura ma fattibile, percorsa una decina di volte, sempre nel periodo delle ferie estive in agosto. Il traffico dipende molto dagli orari, di mattina parecchio mentre nel primo pomeriggio molto meglio. Si deve prendere il ritmo e salire regolari senza strappi, l'ultima volta sono salito con 35x25 senza problemi.
Mythical climb, constant gradient always above 10％, very few metres to rest, but with the right ratios doable by anyone with some training.
Perfect road surface.
Salita mitica, pendenza costante sempre superiore al 10％, pochissimi metri per rifiatare, ma con i giusti rapporti fattibile da chiunque abbia un pò di allenamento.
Manto stradale perfetto.
The sign with the number of the 29 hairpin bends is quite daunting and throws down the gauntlet... Right from the start, one after the other, the road is regularly maintained on the 9％. As hard as it is, it is definitely worth doing if you have the right training. The other side is beautiful, but this is the real side of the Giau. The arrival and the spectacle at the top is priceless and repays the effort.
Il cartello con il numero dei 29 tornanti è abbastanza scoraggiante e lancia la sfida... Da subito si parte pesantemente, uno dopo l'altro la strada si mantiene regolarmente sul 9％. Per quanto dura conviene assolutamente farla se si ha il giusto allenamento. Bella l'altra parte, ma questo è il vero lato del Giau. L'arrivo e lo spettacolo in cima è impagabile e ripaga della fatica.
A beautiful climb on a good road surface. What more could you want! Occasionally, there are some (very) short sections (e.g. in the bends) where the steepness decreases a little (in the direction of 6％). You can use these to recover or to speed up. Furthermore, it is important to choose the right gear beforehand (compact with a minimum of 32 at the back is advisable, regardless of your condition) or to be able to cope well with riding at a low cadence. This climb is too long to go into the red in the beginning, you need your strength over the whole climb.
Een prachtige beklimming over een prima wegdek. Wat wil een mens nog meer! Er zijn heel af en toe wat (zeer) korte stukken (o.a. in de bochten) waar de steilte iets afneemt (richting de 6％). Die kun je gebruiken om te herstellen of juist tempo op te voeren. Verder is het zaak om vooraf het goede verzet (compact met minimaal 32 achter is aan te raden, ongeacht je conditie) te kiezen of goed om te kunnen gaan met rijden op een lage cadans. Deze klim is te lang om in het begin in het rood te gaan, je hebt je krachten over de hele klim nodig.
Hello, excellent climb, hard and regular, done with a 34/26 at 45 ( F ) , but I strongly recommend at least the 28 at the back and to avoid the weekend given the heavy traffic! With all the engines it's not possible to zigzag to hydrate and without hydration cramps at the top are guaranteed! obligatory, for those who have them, to get up on the pedals at least a few seconds every kilometre to ensure circulation. Do it at least once in your life....breathtaking views, training on long climbs necessary! Epic!
Ciao, ottima salita, dura e regolare , fatta con un 34/26 a 45 anni ( F ) , ma consiglio vivamente almeno il 28 dietro e di evitare il fine settimana dato l intenso traffico! Con tutti i motori non è possibile zigzagare per idratarsi e senza idratazione i crampi in vetta sono assicurati!obbligatorio, per chi ne ha, alzarsi sui pedali almeno qualche secondo ogni kilometro per garantire la circolazione. Da fare almeno 1 volta nella vita....panorama mozzafiato, allenamento sulle lunghe salite necessario! Epica!
For me, this climb boiled down to 1hr in zone 3 (tempo), which made it a really good training ride. Once you are at the top, the view is spectacular: one of the best views you are going to get in the Dolomites.
What does the ideal climb look like (for me, that is)? Like this! Steep, but also very steady and around 10 km. If you are in the right climbing rhythm, where you know you can keep this up for an hour or so, then you can keep going. If not, this is really an inconvenience. There is no relief and you have to plan your pace changes well. If you want to force something too fast, you will get it back in the last kilometers. Also important, the climb offers everything a mountain landscape can offer: beautiful hairpin bends, cool forest with wild river, rugged landscape above the tree line and beautiful views at the top. And oh yes, a fast and fine descent to Cortina!
Hoe ziet de ideale klim eruit (voor mij dan)? Zo dus! Steil, maar ook heel regelmatig en rond de 10 km. Als je in het juiste klimritme zit, waarvan je weet dat je dit een klein uur kan volhouden, dan kan je prima door. Zo niet, dan is dit wel echt een onding. Verlichting is er niet en tempowisselingen moet je goed plannen. Als je te snel iets wilt forceren, krijg je dit de laatste kilometers echt terug. Ook belangrijk, de beklimming biedt alles wat een berglandschap kan bieden: mooie haarspeldbochten, koel bos met wilde rivier, ruig landschap boven de boomgrens en prachtige uitzichten op de top. En oh ja, een snelle en fijne afzink maar Cortina!
I cycled up this beautiful, continuously steep climb and found out that there is no time to recover.
The blood red graph from Climbfinder and the average percentage say it all.
From Selva the wide road climbs all the time via 28 adding hairpins and 3 tunnel galleries up the narrow valley of the Codalunga mountain river, which we cross a few times. If you think the Rifugio Fedare (cable car/mountain hut) that is high above you quickly comes in the field of vision as the top, you will be disappointed. You can get supplies there but it is only in turn 24 on the 2000 meter altitude limit.
The summit of the pass is a movingly beautiful 360° panorama of mountain ranges with one café/restaurant and a small chapel.
For me one of the most beautiful pass heights there is. Along the way many painted cheers on the road surface because this side is regularly the battleground in the Giro.
Top in all areas, one of the most beautiful Dolomites cols, mandatory climb for every cyclist!
Deze prachtige continu steile klim op gefietst en aan de lijve ondervonden dat er geen enkel recuperatiemoment is.
De bloedrode grafiek van Climbfinder en het gemiddelde percentage zeggen genoeg.
Vanuit Selva klimt de brede weg de hele tijd via 28 optellende haarspeldbochten en 3 tunnel galerijen het nauw dal van de Codalunga bergrivier, die we enkele keren over fietsen,naar omhoog. Als je de Rifugio Fedare (kabelbaan/berghut) die hoog boven jou vrij snel in het gezichtsveld komt als de top aanziet kom je bedrogen uit. Je kan je er wel bevoorraden maar men is nog maar in bocht 24 op de 2000 meter hoogtegrens.
De top van de pas is een ontroerend mooi 360° panorama van bergketens met één café/restaurant en een kleine kapel.
Voor mij één van de mooiste pashoogtes die er zijn. Onderweg veel geschilderde aanmoedigingen op het wegdek want deze zijde is regelmatig het strijdtoneel in de Giro.
Topper op alle gebied,één van de prachtigste Dolomieten cols, verplichte klim voor elke fietser!
| 5 mph | 01:13:08 |
| 7 mph | 00:51:46 |
| 9 mph | 00:40:21 |
| 12 mph | 00:30:19 |
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