Monte Grappa (Semonzo) – Cycling Inspiration & Education

Few mountains carry as many accolades as Monte Grappa. No matter which of its ten ascents you choose to ride the sense that you are in a special place resonates from the start. Rising out of the Veneto plains much like Mont Ventoux’s dominance over the Southern Provence, this mountain encapsulates you on a journey of wonder, not only by its beauty and magnitude but of the many reminders of darker days past when the Grappa’s slopes became a ferocious battleground for thousands caught at war.

The many sides of Monte Grappa begin from three main directions, each of which offer a very different journey on their way to the summit. It has to be said, every climb is a challenge in itself providing a cycling playground that caters for everyone. From the north, three sides feature a Dolomiti backdrop (Cismon, Caupo and Seren) five menacingly brutal adjoining climbs from the east (Alano di Piave, Pederobba, Cavaso, Possagno and Paderno, the latter two with long stretches well beyond 20% gradient putting them on the podium alongside the fearsome Zoncolan and Mortirolo as Italy’s hardest) and two rise up from the Veneto plains from the south. The southern ascents can both be reached via the romantic city of Bassano del Grappa (where the digestivo Grappa originated) and despite the official starting points of Semonzo and Romano d’Ezzelino a visit to this medieval city is an absolute must if you’re tackling the climb from the south. While Romano is the ‘classic’ side, probably because it’s the easiest, it’s not the prettiest on offer so on this occasion, after a morning in Bassano, we rolled out of town towards the ascent starting from Semonzo, a serious test and real showcase for the mountain along with being the host of the Stage 19 time-trial in the 2014 Giro d’Italia.

Semonzo is a tiny commune of Borso del Grappa, it’s here where the ascent officially starts, pitching straight up to 9% and holding that for not far off the first 9km. Rising up from the Veneto plains on the poplar tree lined road, the gradient and stifling heat mean thoughtful pacing and plenty of fluids are an absolute essential if you’re going to survive the 20 switchbacks that come in quick succession over the first half of the ascent.

Rolling vistas, rock carved tunnels, paragliders and an abundance of wildlife keep you well entertained until the climb opens out towards mid distance, weaving through lush meadows whilst clinging to the edge of a cliff face. Enjoy the last moment of respite before the gradient starts to turn the screw once more, regularly tipping double figures the higher you climb. It’s here where we started to really feel the spirit of the Grappa. Looking out over the vast peaceful slopes it’s hard to imagine a time when the very place that was bringing us so much pleasure were scenes of war and unthinkable acts just a few decades ago. 

Knowing the history of the Grappa only adds to the respect and sheer blessing we have to be able to enjoy this mountain in times of peace. Numerous memorials serve as a reminder that this was not always the case. Brutal, bloody battles in WW1 and WW2  between Italian and Austro-Hungarian troops saw the Italians fend off invasion but not without an immense loss of life. The Sacrario Militare del Monte Grappa at the summit is a guarded monumental burial site, in which 22,910 identified and unidentified soldiers rest. There is an overwhelming sense of spirituality throughout the Grappa, somehow with the reminders of war within your tired gaze the challenge of the mountain and testing gradient pail into insignificance, eclipsed by thought and moments of reflection. 

Monte Grappa is an Italian national treasure one to be enjoyed, respected and visited every once in a while. Peace.

Start: Semonzo
Length: 18.5km
Summit: 1,745m
Elevation gain: 1,530m
Average gradient: 8.3%
Max gradient: 14%
Ridden in July

Thank you to our partners Mavic, Cannondale, Exposure Lights, Fi’zi:k, Haute Route, Lezyne, Map My Tracks, Muc Off, Scicon, The Sufferfest, TORQ and USE for enabling us to bring these truly special mountains to life for you all. If you’re in need of new bike kit in the future and you enjoyed this video then bear them in mind and help keep the wheels turning 🙂

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Mike Cotty
The Col Collective

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[Music] [Music] welcome to the coal Collective for the Monty grapper from Simon [Music] so [Music] just on the early slopes look out the vast expans of the venito plane down there we’re going to be climbing up to 1745 M over the next 18 1/2k with an average of 8.3 so uh already 8.7 quite a Stern test right from the [Music] beginning just crept into July even so there is some shelter on this early part of the climb temperatur is absolutely stifling well into the 30s already it’s pretty typical of the region so you know make sure that you fill your bottles have a lot of fluid with you it’s hard to get away from the heat even when it’s sheltered [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] in some respect the Monte Grappa has a similar sort of imposing Authority as Von two has over the southern provance got the flat lands kilometer after kilometer stretching out to the Horizon and suddenly Boom the mountain just Rises up out of nowhere it’s G past Ben number 20 about 10ks in it looks like we’re out of the tree line now finally pop the Trees of disappeared we’re right out in the open 6% 6 7% hasn’t been any let up yet it’s been about 8 9 all the way up until this [Music] point just crept above 1,000 M elevation we got a slight Plateau here so good chance to catch your breath pass through those small tunnels there it’s good Landmark to get a bit of a gauge of where you are on the [Music] mountain about 6K to go the gradient turned itself up and another notch 13 14% so it’s really a section you got to be aware of them dig [Music] [Music] deep [Music] about 3 km from the top the clim has taken on a completely different character there’s Road markings back there from previous Euros it was here in 2010 2014 battle uh scars of of some sort but uh yeah really not what the the grapp is famous for this is a battlefield a bloody Battlefield at that in world World War 1 and two and uh yeah as we crested the hill over here I say the the whole character changed and so many undulations it’s almost like you’re hanging on the edge of the cliff now so many places to hide and you know you just think about the actual the wars that went on and you know the the thousands of of people who shed their their lives to fight for their country on these these slopes and it almost gives you a bit of an eerie sort of chill makes your blood run cold a bit and uh yeah 100 years ago it would have been a very different place peaceful today but you know the history that this Mountain’s got is uh unquestionable [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] it’s clear today the air remains thick like ACD Smoke on the battlefield almost suffocating you know the stories the death the loss of life yeah for that reason the grapp will always remain a legend [Applause] [Music] ah