Top 5 Must Ride Climbs in the Alps

1. Passo dello Stelvio from Prato, Italy

Statistics:

Distance: 14,66 miles / 23,59 km

Elevation Gain: 6038 feet / 1840 m

Average Gradient: 8,2%

Strava Segment: https://strava.app.link/POnNTyVU40b

Hotel Recommendation: https://www.zum-goldnen-adler.com/en/

Pro Tip: Make sure to book the Breakfast and Dinner at Gasthof zum Goldenen Adler.

Best time to go: June to September/October (always bring a jacket when climbing Stelvio - the descent is cold!)

Review:

I have ascended Passo Stelvio 10x in the past 3 Years, and the climb never gets old. The length, the altitude, and all 48 switchbacks are something all cyclists need to experience at least once in their lifetime.

Passo Stelvio officially begins in Prato when you ride past the painted totem poles on the right hand side, but the climb properly starts at Trafoi around 8km in. At Trafoi, the gradient stays at a consistent 10% for the next 15km. The nearly 50 switchbacks also start in quick succession all the way to the summit from Trafoi.

When I think about climbing in the Alps, I imagine Passo dello Stelvio from Prato. Summiting Stelvio is an experience many cyclists remember for the rest of their lives. There is simply nothing like it in the world.

2. Col de la Bonnette from Jausiers, France

Statistics:

Distance: 13,54 miles / 21,79 km

Elevation Gain: 4619 feet / 1408 m

Average Gradient: 6,4%

Strava Segment: https://strava.app.link/6pIAU15W40b

Recommendation: Recommended to stay in Barcelonnette, which is a nice mountain town with lots of hotels and good restaurants. The start of the climb is roughly 8km from Barcelonnette.

Best time to go: June to September/October

Review:

I first ascended the Col de la Bonnette in the Summer of 2025 during my crossing of the French Alps. The Bonnette from Jausiers is without a doubt the most beautiful climb in the Southern French Alps. At 2802m / 9192ft high, the Bonnette is the 3rd highest road pass in Europe.

The climb was last featured in Stage 19 of the 2o24 Tour de France as the highest point in the race where Tadej Pogacar secured his 3rd Yellow Jersey. Needless to say, the Bonnette features just about everything a cyclist would want from an Alpine Climb. Starting in Jausiers, the climb stays at a constant 6% for over 20km featuring mountain lakes, endless switchbacks, and Alpine marmots. However it's not the length or the gradient that bites on this climb, it's the altitude. The 2802m high Summit is what makes this climb so special.

It is important to note that the last 2km of the Bonnette are the steepest averaging 9-10%, and at 2750m 9-10% feels more like 15%. So remember to save some legs for the final 2km. Once reaching the Summit of the Bonnette, the descent lasts 90km all the way to the Mediterranean Sea and the Cot d'Azur. Well deserved.

3. Passo Giau from Pocol, Dolomites, Italy

Statistics:

Length: 5,15 miles / 8,28 km

Elevation Gain: 2196 feet / 669m

Average Gradient: 8,1%

Strava Segment: https://strava.app.link/ScjNW8gZ40b

Hotel Recommendation: https://www.ruances.it/en/

Phenomenal hotel in the heart of the Dolomites centrally located amongst all the climbs. Book the Breakfast and enjoy the local Vinschgau!

Best time to go: June to September/October

Review:

The Giro d'Italia and the Passo Giau are often synonymous with each other as the climb has been featured in the Giro 11x in the modern era. The climb is often times also the "Cima Coppi" or the Highest Point in the race.

With that being said, the Passo Giau is a must ride climb if you are ever in the Dolomites. The first 2 km of the climb starts relatively flat from Pocol at around 3%; however, don't let the start lull you into a false sense of security, because this is one tough climb! After the start, the climb kicks up to a steady 10% until the Summit. The middle 2-6 km feature beautiful switchbacks through the forest, and in the last 2 km the road opens up to panoramic views of the Dolomites. The last 2 km of the Giau are without a doubt some of the most beautiful stretches of road in Europe.

4. Großglockner from Fusch, Austria

Statistics:

Length: 20.83 miles / 33,52 km

Elevation Gain: 6558 feet / 1998 m

Average Gradient: 3,6%

Strava Segment: https://strava.app.link/OHlOuYI040b

Recommendation: Recommended to stay at Zell am See, Austria where Großglockner can be easily accessed.

Best time to go: June to September/October

Review:

The Großglockner at 3798m is the highest mountain in Austria and the mountain is in my opinion best experienced on the bike. The climb features over 33km directly in Austria's Großglockner National Park. Großglockner's road also called Franz-Josef Höhe Straße is one of the most spectacular roads in Europe featuring mountain waterfalls, Alpine tunnels, and cobblestone roads.

The road was engineered right on the side of the mountain, with the Großglockner constantly looking down on you, allowing cyclists to feel at the edge of the world. The scenery is also second to none offering views of the Salzburger and Tirolean Alps.

5. Furka Pass / James Bond Straße from Andermatt, Switzerland

Statistics:

Length: 7,18 miles / 11,55 km

Elevation Gain: 2799 feet / 853 m

Average Gradient: 7,4%

Strava Segment: https://strava.app.link/4ZZ9biu240b

Hotel Recommendation: https://thebaseandermatt.com

Best time to go: June to September/October

Review:

Starting in Andermatt and finishing in the heart of the Swiss Alps, the Furka Pass connects the two Swiss Cantons of Valais and Uri. The legendary Furka Pass first became famous in the James Bond car-chase scene in Goldfinger. Today, the Pass can also be recognized as James Bond Straße. The Furka also features the famous Hotel Belvedere, which offers picturesque Swiss views from the Furka's final Southern hairpin.

The Furka Pass is arguably the most famous Pass in the Swiss Alps, and it certainly lives up to its expectation. The road is narrow and cyclists often get the feeling that they are carving their way through the mountain. Starting in Andermatt at 1437m, and ending on the top of the Furka at 2429m, it also does not require too much climbing to get views above the clouds and the surrounding mountains.

If you are starting in Andermatt, I recommend climbing the Furka and combining the Pass with either the Grimsel/Sustenpass or the Nufenen/Gotthardpass. At best, do both routes. They were some of the best rides I have ever done on the bike.

Andermatt 1 (Furka/Nufenen/Gothard): https://www.komoot.com/tour/1914782222?ref=itd

Andermatt 2 (Furka/Grimsel/Susten): https://www.komoot.com/tour/1914783930?ref=itd

Honorable Mentions:

• Tre Cime de Lavaredo - Cortina d'Ampezzo, Dolomites, Italy

• Albula Pass - Preda, Switzerland
• Col du Galibier - Briancon, France

• Timmelsjoch - Meran, Italy

• Roßfeld Straße - Berchtesgaden, Germany

• Sustenpass - Innertkirchen, Switzerland