Less famous than its Dolomites neighbours, Passo Manghen is nonetheless one of Trentino’s toughest climbs: 22.9 km through the wild Lagorai range, with no cable cars or summit restaurant terraces, up to a high point of 2,047 m between the Val di Fiemme and Valsugana.
A wild pass between two valleys
From Borgo Valsugana, the road climbs 22.9 km for 1,656 m of elevation gain, averaging 7.2% — a figure that hides a far more uneven reality. After an easy warm-up stretch to Telve, the gradient turns irregular, alternating 3% sections with 10% ramps, before the final seven kilometres along the Val Calamento, the hardest part of the climb, with pitches between 10 and 15%, especially around kilometres 20 and 22.
Unlike the neighbouring Sella Ronda passes (Pordoi, Sella, Gardena), climbed by streams of cyclists and motorbikes every summer, the Manghen crosses the Lagorai chain, a range that has stayed genuinely wild, with no resorts or major tourist routes — just the road, the forest, and, here and there, the remains of First World War trenches.
A quiet regular of the Giro d’Italia
The Giro d’Italia first discovered the Manghen in 1976 and has used it six times since, most recently in 2019 on a stage from Feltre. That year, the climb inherited the Cima Coppi title — awarded to the highest point reached in that year’s race — after the planned crossing of the Passo di Gavia was scrapped due to bad weather; Fausto Masnada took the Cima Coppi prize at the top.
Getting the ride right
The deceptively steady average gradient means holding something back for the Val Calamento ramps late in the climb. A compact or triple crankset is strongly recommended, as are sufficient water and food reserves: refuelling options thin out fast after Telve, on a road that sees little traffic overall.
When to go
June to September, since the summit’s altitude (2,047 m) often delays the road’s full opening well into late spring depending on the snowpack. July and August offer the safest conditions, though the crowds stay noticeably lighter here than on the big neighbouring Dolomites passes regardless of the month.
Good to know
Borgo Valsugana, a small market town at the foot of the pass, has a decent choice of accommodation and convenient access to the Val di Fiemme via the north side, making it easy to combine this climb with other Trentino classics like the Passo Rolle or the Passo San Pellegrino.
