IL BOSCO DI BRENDOLA cycling climb

Climb n° 40

THE BRENDOLA FOREST

40

West side

THE BRENDOLA WOODS – (Brendola)

Classification: 🟡 Yellow – Panoramic Gravel

One of the easiest roads to access the Dorsale dei Berici is the SP 12 that leads from Brendola to its forest, a place for walks and summer picnics. The climb becomes lively and challenging right inside the forest... when the magnificent road becomes concrete and then dirt in good condition. We head towards the "porta dei Berici" a panoramic place from which you can admire Vicenza and Monte Berico. Nature surrounds us inside a wonderful and pleasant forest.

General data

Length: ~ 4,7 km
Positive difference in height: ~ 240 m
Starting altitude: ~ 50 m
Arrival altitude: ~ 290 m
Average slope: Up to 5%
Maximum slope: ~9–10% (short sections)
Background: compact dirt road, forest track, short asphalted junctions
Exposure: mixed, mostly northwest
Ideal period: spring and autumn (also suggestive in summer due to the shade)

Technical analysis of the climb

The Brendola Woods is a climb progressive and regular, perfect for discovering gravel. It doesn't have any extreme walls, but it requires consistency and good pace management.

🔹 Zone 1 – Approach (0 – 1,2 km)

Slope: 3-4%
Features: smooth surface, wide roadway
Analysis: An ideal stretch for warming up the legs. The climb is gentle, encouraging you to quickly find a comfortable pace without forcing it.

🔹 Zone 2 – Heart of the forest (1,2 – 3,5 km)

Slope: 5–7% constant
Features: compact dirt road, soft curves, thick shade
Analysis: This is the most representative section. The gradient increases gradually, but remains pedalable. It requires consistency rather than power.

🔹 Zone 3 – Final sprint (3,5 – 4,7 km)

Slope: 6–9% with short ramps
Features: narrower roadway, rough surface in places
Analysis: The effort is noticeable, but never becomes prohibitive. The final few meters lead to a more open and panoramic point.

Gravel sensations

The Brendola Woods is pure gravel in its essence: silent, regular, immersive.
You pedal while listening to the sound of the wheels on the dirt road and your breathing finding its rhythm. It's a climb that does not attack, but it accompanies, ideal for those who love to grind out meters and altitude differences without stress.

Naturalistic aspects

Mixed forest of Berici Hills (downy oak, hornbeam, chestnut)
Widespread fauna: roe deer, pheasants, birds of prey
Fresh and breezy microclimate
In autumn the undergrowth offers intense colours and scents of leaves and earth

The central section is particularly suggestive: a real green gallery, ideal on hot days.

Artistic and cultural places

Berici Hills Territory, rich in Venetian villas and rural architecture
In the surrounding area: country churches, historic districts and routes linked to peasant civilization
Not a “monumental” climb, but deeply linked to the local historical landscape

How to deal with it

Recommended ratios: compact (e.g. 40×42 or similar)
Tire pressures: medium-low for comfort and traction
Driving style: seated, constant cadence
Attention: leaves and humidity in shaded areas, especially in spring and autumn

It's a perfect climb to include in a gravel ring, perhaps combined with other areas of the Berici Hills.

Identikit of the climb

Personality: kind and continuous
Ideal for: cross-country training, exploration, bikepacking
Strength: total immersion in the woods
Keyword: smoothness

In short (Italian only)

Il Brendola Woods it's a gravel climb balanced and satisfying, which doesn't seek the epic of extreme gradients but rather conquers with rhythm, silence, and nature. A yellow that teaches how gravel can be profound even without screaming.

The numbers of the climb

Length

4.7 km

Medium slope

5.2%

Maximum slope

Positive height difference

240 m

Arrival fee

290 m

Flooring

Asphalt + sections of mixed terrain (concrete, cobblestone, dirt)

Municipality of departure

Brentwood

Altimetric analysis

Climb analysis

Topographic Image

Google Earth Profile

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.

THE PIGNOLE

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!