Cycling climb I NANI MONTE BERICO

Climb n° 2

THE MONTE BERICO Dwarves

2

Northern side

3race pts

🚴‍♂️ The Dwarves – Monte Berico (Vicenza)

The climb of Monte Berico, but with a touch of Flanders...at least 300 meters of pure cobblestones uphill make this climb unique and extraordinary! Note the beautiful Villa Valmarana ai Nani at the beginning of the cobblestones, the final stretch features the iconic wall of Monte Berico with the Palladian porticoes alongside and the sanctuary in the background... Elegant, panoramic, deceptive. The climb of the Dwarves at Monte Berico It's one of the most refined climbs in the Vicenza hills: it doesn't have the ferocity of the Sanctuary, but it has a continuous slope that slowly digs into your legs. It's a classic climb. yellow, perfect for training rhythm and endurance, immersed in one of the most beautiful settings in the city.

📊 General information

Name: The Dwarves – Monte Berico
Common: Vicenza
Length: 1,46 km
Difference: 85 m
Average slope: 5,8%
Maximum slope: ~10–11% (final stretch)
Departure altitude: ~ 37 m
Arrival altitude: ~ 121 m
Main exposure: Northwest

Average climb numbers, but with a finale that raises the bar.

🧮 Technical analysis of the climb

The profile is progressive, with a smooth first section and an increasingly demanding second half. It's not a steep climb: it's a construction ramp, which gets harder with each passing meter.

🔹 Zone 1 | Easy Start (0,0 – 0,4 km)

Slope: 3-4%
Features: wide road, gentle curves
Sensation: a climb that "doesn't weigh"

Here, you can get into a rhythm without stress. It's crucial not to get distracted: the real climb is yet to begin.

Zone 2 | Regular central body (0,4 – 1,1 km)

Slope: 5–6% constant
Features: continuous, rideable stretch, difficult due to its pure cobblestones which in fact make it very similar to an iconic climb in Flanders
Sensation: aerobic threshold climb

It's the Nani's technical heart: ideal for climbing with agility, maintaining constant power. A ramp that teaches you how to manage your effort.

Zone 3 | Selective finish (1,1 – 1,46 km)

Slope: 7–10% with peaks above
Features: straight road that rises towards Monte Berico
Sensation: sudden gear change

After more than a steady kilometer, the road begins to steeply rise. The legs, already loaded, have to respond. This is the stretch that turns an "easy" climb into a real one.

🚴 Road sensations

The Nani is a climb that it does not attack, but consumesIt gently accompanies you, and then, when you're almost out of breath, it delivers the final blow. The fatigue builds subtly: you only realize you're at your limit in the last 300 meters.

It's a climb that teaches patience.

🌿 Naturalistic aspects

The road climbs up the hillside between woods, vineyards and historic villasThe view of the city of Vicenza gradually opens up, while the urban noise fades. On clear days, the gaze sweeps from the plain to the outlines of the Alpine foothills.

It is a bright, airy, always elegant climb.

🏛️ Artistic and historical places

The route takes its name from the famous statues of the Dwarfs of Villa Valmarana ai Nani, a masterpiece of 18th-century Venice, not far from the route. Arriving in the Monte Berico area means entering one of the city's historic heartlands, just steps from the Sanctuary and the Palladian porticoes.

Here the bicycle pedals through history.

🧠 How to deal with it

Relationships: 34×25 ideal, 34×28 for those who want a fresh finish
Strategy: regular rhythm in the central part, progression in the last stretch
Cadence: 85–95 rpm up to 1,1 km, then accept lower cadence
Mistake to avoid: to force too soon

Nani is won with the steadiness, not with impetus.

🆔 Identikit of the climb

Type: continuous hill climb
Style: progressive
Ideal soil: long-distance training, pace test
Key point: last 350 m
Personality: elegant but insidious

It doesn't look scary on paper, but it knows how to command respect on the road, especially for its cobblestone handling.

The numbers of the climb

Length

1.4 km

Medium slope

Maximum slope

11%

Positive height difference

84 m

Arrival fee

120 m

Flooring

Asphalt + sections of cobbled pavement

Municipality of departure

Vicenza

Altimetric analysis

Climb analysis

Topographic Image

Google Earth Profile

Tech typ

Fountains to quench your thirst

Capitals and sacred places

Technical resources

Weather in Vicenza

Stop & Go

The activities you can encounter along the route or around this climb.

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Difficulty

Black Climb

Very difficult climb suitable only for expert and trained cyclists

Red Climb

Difficult climb for cyclists who have a high level of preparation

Yellow Climb

Medium/difficult climb for cyclists who have a medium/high level of preparation

Blue Climb

Medium/easy climb for cyclists who have a minimum of preparation

Green Climb

Easy climb for beginners

Technical parameters

Score
A score has been assigned to each climb which indicates its position on a difficulty level scale. The simplest climb was identified with the number 1, the most difficult climb was identified with the number 100.

Length
Indicates the length in km of the climb from the starting point to the arrival point

Medium slope
Indicates the average gradient expressed in % of the entire climb

Maximum slope
Indicates the maximum gradient expressed in % reached during the climb

Difference
Indicates the positive difference in altitude in meters (relating only to the uphill part) from the starting point to the arrival point of the climb

Flooring
Indicates the type of flooring of the climb

The Gravel Badges

Badge I - Romeo and Juliet Castles

They symbolize the entire new north-western territory of Berici Climbs, the offshoots of the Castellari Mountains, spectacular places of transition between the Berico plateau and the pre-Alpine slopes.

The very difficult Strada dei Carri (Wagon Road) that leads to the castles in the municipality of Montecchio Maggiore is representative of this part of the park.

Badge II - Sanctuary of Monte Berico

A symbolic site for the entire park, of great and rare beauty, beloved by the Giro d'Italia with two stage finishes in ten years. It also hosts two gravel climbs, including the wonderful and pleasant Colonia Bedin.

Badge III-Villabalzana

It represents a bastion, a port of arrival for many climbs in the northern area. A wonderful place surrounded by greenery with breathtaking views of Lake Fimon and the entire pre-Alpine chain.

Badge IV - Grancona

A symbolic place of the southern block, its large square, the church that looks more like an ancient castle and the panoramic terrace overlooking the Val Liona make Grancona a sought-after and desired destination.

Badge V - Hermitage of Dan Donato

It is a magical place, full of spirituality, where the rock of the hills merges with the human action to draw a perfect frame, a painting from which you can admire the skyline of the Euganean Hills and recover the seconds of time passed, here you can perceive the true essence of Berici Climbs, memento vivere.

VI- Gravel Super Hero Badge

The badge that certifies that you are the real heroes! Climbing 50 gravel climbs is a great feat that deserves to be celebrated, because the effort is hard, but even more so is managing to complete a complex journey in an often complicated and crowded life. This is an achievement of resilience and passion, it's your achievement! Hold on to it!