- Ascent
- 1146 hm
- Distance Ascent
- 15 km
- max. gradient
- 17 %
- ø gradient
- 7.6 %
The Jaufenpass (Passo di Monte Giovo) from Sterzing is an HC climb of 15 km with 1,146 m of elevation gain at an average of 7.6 %, peaking at 17 %. The road climbs out of the Wipptal to 2,094 m and drops on the south side into the Passeier valley to St. Leonhard. Every single kilometre sits between just under 7 and just under 9 %.
The Jaufenpass, Passo di Monte Giovo in Italian, is a climb without surprises. From Sterzing it is 15 kilometres and 1,146 metres of climbing up to 2,094 metres. Every single kilometre sits between just under 7 and just under 9 %. Find a pace and you can hold it from bottom to top.
The Jaufenpass at a glance
The key figures from Sterzing: category HC, 15 km, 1,146 m of climbing, 7.6 % on average and 17 % at its steepest. The road leaves the Wipptal heading southwest and climbs to the pass at 2,094 m. On the south side it drops into the Passeier valley to St. Leonhard. In our list the Jaufen belongs to the Eastern Alps region.
The climb from Sterzing
Right out of Sterzing the first kilometre is one of the steeper ones at almost 9 %, there is no warm up. After that the gradient swings between just under 7 and just under 9 % for many kilometres. There are no flat stretches in between and no ramps that clearly break the pattern. That makes the Jaufen predictable, but also tiring, because there are no breaks.
The last kilometres stay within the same band, and the finish is once more a little over 8 %. The 17 % in the fact box does not show up at kilometre level: no section goes above 9 %. So the peak is a short spot, not a long stretch. For pacing that means ride evenly and do not wait for a key section.
How it compares to our 100 climbs
At 17 % the Jaufen has one of the higher peaks in the list, only 17 climbs have a steeper one. It is also up front on the average: 32 climbs are steeper than its 7.6 %, ten of the 28 in the Eastern Alps. With 1,146 m of climbing and a finishing height of 2,094 m, on the other hand, it sits in the middle of the field. The Nufenenpass is built in a similar way, with 13.7 km and 1,132 m of climbing at 8.3 % on average.
Practical tips
On the Jaufen a gearing that lets you spin 7 to 8 % for a long time helps, then the short peak hardly matters. Because the first kilometre is already steep, a short warm up in Sterzing is worth it. At 2,094 m it is much colder than in the valley, so bring a jacket for the descent. Carry on and you roll down into the Passeier valley to St. Leonhard.
