Passo dello Stelvio - Bormio

The Passo dello Stelvio is the highest pass in Italy. It is situated in the Alps Retiche, to the north-west of the Montuoso group of the Ortles-Cevedale. Many consider it scenically the nicest of all the Alpine passes. It is possible to climb the Stelvio from two different sides; from Bormio and from Prato, both in Italy. However, it is also possible to reach the Stelvio from Switzerland, namely from St. Maria; see the Passo Umbrail (2501 m). From the starting point Bormio, one can go to Mazzo di Valtellina, the starting point of the Mortirolo.

The Passo dello Stelvio is situated in Lombardy and belongs to the Dolomites . Starting from Bormio, the Passo dello Stelvio ascent is 21.5 km long. Over this distance, you climb 1533 heightmeters. The average percentage thus is 7.1 %.

Are you planning to climb the Passo dello Stelvio? Here, you find all the information to train to climb the Passo dello Stelvio successfully.

Look for other sides to climb the Passo dello Stelvio.

Since 2005, the Passo dello Stelvio will be/was climbed in the following big tour stages:
Giro d'Italia 2013 :  Ponte Di Legno - Val Martello /Martelltal on 24/05/2013
Giro d'Italia 2012 :  Caldes Val di Sole > Passo dello Stelvio on 26/05/2012

Story by Cloetens Xavier from , Belgium, submitted on 30/08/2012

I climbed many cols already but this is the best one I ever did. I climbed it 3 times in August 2012. It goes up to 13% on my Garmin (and not 14% as marked on the street) around the 10th km for a short distance. Be aware of the tourists on motorbikes and mobilehomes as they come too close to your handlebars if you cycle on the side of the road...SO CYCLE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD and let them slow down! This is much safer for you! Take lights for the tunnels. Take your sunglases off in the tunnels when you go down as it is narrow (1 car at the time), bumpy and wet in there! But above all, enjoy this most magnificent col. Views and road are TOP! Safe energy for the last kms as the road is quiet steap again and the air starts to be thin at 2400m. Best climb ever after the Stilfersjoch.

My personal climb rating:

Story by Deegs from Yeovil, United Kingdom, submitted on 17/07/2012

Well this was rather difficult for an unfit man in his forties. But it was even as beautiful dare I say it as the Gavia. Much busier, to be sure, meaning that the galleries in the Valle del Braulio were noisy and a bit hectic. But overall a beautiful ride. The old army buildings left over from the last century were a bit poignant, the view from the top well worth the effort. Don''t go at the weekend, leave early in the morning and you will be up there having a well-earned coffee before mosr of the motorbikes are out and about.

My personal climb rating:

Story by Stephen Buttigieg from , Malta, submitted on 28/10/2010

I was attending a basketball coaching course in Bormio some years ago and being a keen cyclist all my Italian friends said I had to attempt the climb. I hired a bike and went up on what started out as a beautiful afternoon. The climb was steady but the last two kilometres were tough with the reduced oxygen. As I got to the top the Sun disappeared and it began to rain. I was extremely ill-equipped for the descent with just a t-shirt and thin tracksuit top and no gloves and I had difficulty getting my hands to use the breaks as they started to get numb. In the end I had to hitch a lift down for a couple of kilometres where the Sun was still shining! I must be one of the few people who can say they could cycle all the way up the Stelvio but not all the way down! Despite the cold hands it was a brilliant experience I will never forget. I also thought the constant encouragement from anyone driving by was fantastic.

My personal climb rating:

Story by adolfo from los angeles, United States, submitted on 20/07/2010

I did the race ""re della montagna"" in the early nineties...what stands out in my mind was the snow at the top and the descent whereby I had to use different parts of my hand to operate the brake lever since I had to more squeeze power!!

My personal climb rating:

Story by Martin from , UK, submitted on 09/05/2007

This is the "other" side of the Stelvio. So not 48 hairpins, "just" 40 or so. But on the plus side the road surface is a lot better than its more famous twin also the signs on the hairpins are prettier! As the profile shows the last couple of km are the toughest so keep some energy in reserve. Also, from bitter experience, if it is raining at the bottom it may be snowing at the top! So take plenty of warm clothing and something to keep your hands dry as descending the famous hairpins on the other side is tricky at the best of times but close to suicidal when the road is icy and you cant feel your fingers!

Story by Mauro from Tirano, Italy, submitted on 06/01/2007

I climbed Stelvio from Bormio many times. it is a nice climb,with a modest average (7%) but is a long journey to reach the sky : be careful because the last 3 km are terrible, for the tiredness but above all for the altitude, for less oxygene (you are at 2400 until 2758): great climb for every ciclo-amateur!!

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