Passo Lanciano, Blockhaus, ITA

The Passo Lanciano is only half the truth. Most riders who climb it want to go further: to the Blockhaus, the bare summit ridge of the Majella in the Abruzzo. Together they add up to the biggest elevation gain of any paved road in Italy, and one of the hardest climbs in Europe.

Passo Lanciano and Blockhaus at a glance

From Scafa in the north it is 29.1 kilometres and 1,995 metres of climbing up to 2,100 metres, averaging 7.3 percent with ramps of 14.5 percent. Hors Catégorie, no debate. The Passo Lanciano at around 1,300 metres is merely the halfway hub: the roads from Scafa and from the coast meet there, and higher up the variant from Roccamorice joins in, said to be the toughest of them all. According to some sources, the section from Roccamorice to the Maielletta is the third-hardest paved climb in Italy after Zoncolan and Mortirolo.

Route description

The ascent from Scafa is a climb in waves. The first kilometres roll along almost flat, from kilometre three the road rears up noticeably, only to relax again around kilometres six and seven. Then the first serious block: two kilometres at up to ten percent before a short breather. Spend too much here and you will pay later.

The heart of the climb starts at kilometre 14. Six kilometres straight at nine to almost twelve percent, the hardest stretch of the entire ascent. After that the gradient settles at six to eight percent, but the sheer length works against you. Above the Passo Lanciano the scenery changes: forest first, then ski area, finally a bare high plateau with views all the way to the Adriatic. The last kilometres to the Maielletta are no longer steep, just endless.

History and racing

The name comes from a 19th-century fort: built in 1863 by Piedmontese troops fighting brigands, a commander of Austro-Hungarian descent is said to have christened it Blockhaus. The mountain entered the Giro d’Italia in 1967, and straight away with a punchline: a 22-year-old Eddy Merckx, still considered a sprinter at the time, took his first Giro stage win on the Blockhaus. The Italian press ran headlines about a Belgian sprinter beating their climbers.

Since then the Blockhaus has been an irregular but reliable supplier of drama: José Manuel Fuente won in 1972, Moreno Argentin in 1984 during the Moser-Fignon battle, Nairo Quintana in 2017 on the day a parked police motorbike at the foot of the climb brought down half the favourites. In 2022 Jai Hindley sprinted to the stage win on the Blockhaus, months before becoming the first Australian to win the Giro. And 2026 added the next layer of history: on the longest stage of the race, 244 kilometres from Formia, Jonas Vingegaard won the first summit finish of the Giro on the Blockhaus.

Practical tips

The best time is May to October. The Passolanciano-Maielletta area is one of the snowiest in the Apennines, in winter the ski lifts run, and since 2010 the topmost ramp to the Cima Blockhaus above the Rifugio Bruno Pomilio has been closed to cars. For cyclists that means: hardly any traffic at the very top. Food and water are available up to the Passo Lanciano, after that it gets thin, so carry two bottles. In high summer avoid the midday heat on the lower slopes, while up top the wind can turn unpleasant at the same time.

How does the Blockhaus compare?

The comparison is written into the statistics: only the Monte Zoncolan and the Mortirolo are considered harder in Italy, and both are far shorter. The Blockhaus is the long-distance version of suffering: not a wall, but a marathon with built-in steep sections. If you collect elevation gain, there is no bigger continuous haul of tarmac in Italy.

The Passo Lanciano is one of the top 50 of our 100 climbs, featured on the 100 Climbs posters and on the compact 50 Climbs edition.

Why is the mountain called Blockhaus?

After a fort that Piedmontese troops built on the ridge in 1863 while fighting brigands. A commander of Austro-Hungarian descent is said to have given the outpost its German name. The ruin still stands near the summit today.

What is the difference between Passo Lanciano and Blockhaus?

The Passo Lanciano sits at around 1,300 metres and is the junction where several ascents meet. The Blockhaus is the continuation: roughly another 800 metres of climbing up to the Maielletta at over 2,100 metres. The Giro uses different variants depending on the year, but the finale almost always lies above the Passo Lanciano.

Was the Blockhaus in the Giro d’Italia 2026?

Yes. Stage 7 on 15 May 2026 ran 244 kilometres from Formia to the Blockhaus, the longest stage and first summit finish of the 2026 Giro. Jonas Vingegaard won.