Climbs of the Alps: Passo San Marco - Passo San Marco: Unfairly rather unknown

The San Marco easily surpasses Dolomite passes such as the Gardena Pass or the Passo di Giau. But it lies off the beaten track and connects the region of Sondrio, the Valtellina, with the Valle Brembana, which flows southwards via San Pellegrino Terme into the Po Valley. It is hard to believe that an important trade route from Venice to southern Germany once ran along this route in the Middle Ages. Today, the little road, the gateway to the Bergamo Alps, is quite deserted for most of the year. All the more reason for racing cyclists to take the San Marco under their wheels.

The average gradient on both ramps is between seven and eight per cent. Large sprockets and a certain amount of respect are therefore advisable. In the north, the climb in Morbegno rises straight out of the often very hot Adda valley. A cool breeze can be expected at the earliest from Albaredo, which you pass after around ten kilometres. From kilometre 17 to 20 there is an opportunity to take a deep breath before the toughest, eleven per cent steep passages loom in the finale up to the top of the pass. With a difference in altitude of around 1,500 metres, the southern ramp is also a serious challenge for the climbers. The steep steps in the serpentine section from kilometre 11 in particular demand a lot of pressure on the pedals with gradients of up to twelve per cent.

North and south ramp of the Passo San Marco

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