🚴♂️ Climb of the Our Lady of San Giovanni – Barbarano Mossano (Berici Hills)
An intense yellow: short, elegant, panoramic. A few minutes of effort, many meters of beauty.
An unexpected and for many unexplored climb, it starts at high altitude and launches into the sky of the Berici Hills at a truly high altitude of 414m! A breathtaking view of Barbarano Vicentino is the reward of this magnificent climb dedicated to the Madonna of San Giovanni in Monte who dominates just before the finish line with a gigantic statue.
📊 General information
- Location: Barbarano Mossano (VI) – Berici Hills
- Climb name: Madonna of San Giovanni
- Length: 1,26 km
- Difference: 94 m
- Average slope: 7,5%
- Departure altitude: ~ 320 m
- Arrival altitude: ~ 414 m
- Maximum slope: ~15–16%
- Classification: 🟡 Yellow
A short climb, but far from trivial: a few kilometres that condense character, technique and panorama.
🧠 Detailed technical analysis
The Madonna of San Giovanni is a climb in miniature, with a surprisingly complete structure.
🔴 Sector 1 – The Initial Wall (0 – 0,4 km | 10–15%)
The attack is immediately severe:
- Double-digit slope
- Dry ramps over 14–15%
- Curves that do not allow rhythm
Here we enter the heart of the climb coldly.
It is the trait that defines overall fatigue.
🟡 Sector 2 – The Central Ramp (0,4–0,9 km | 7–9%)
Once past the wall, the slope remains steep but more regular:
- Ideal for stabilizing the step
- Feeling of a “real climb”
- Effort still deep, but controllable
Here the progression towards the sanctuary is built.
🟢 Sector 3 – The Final Exit (0,9 – 1,26 km | 5–6%)
In the final stretch the road becomes gentler:
- More humane slope
- Possibility to relaunch
- Panorama that opens onto the plain
The legs burn, but the bike starts flowing again.
😮💨 Sensations on the road
It's a climb that it doesn't leave you time to settle in:
- Parts already in oxygen debt
- You settle in the middle
- You breathe again only at the top
Short, but intense.
A climb that seems easy… until you do it.
🌿 Naturalistic aspects
The route climbs one of the brightest slopes of the Berici Hills:
- sparse woods
- Open clearings
- Progressive view of the Vicenza plain
In a few minutes you go from the intimacy of the woods to full light of the height.
🏛️ Historical and artistic presences
The climb takes its name from its final jewel:
⛪ Sanctuary of Our Lady of San Giovanni
- Ancient hilltop place of worship
- Extraordinary panoramic point
- Symbol of the rural religiosity of the Berici Hills
Here the effort finds a aesthetic and spiritual reward.
🧩 How to deal with it
In short: you can push, but carefully.
⚙️ Recommended reports
- Compact 50/34
- Cassette 11–30 or 11–32
🧠 Strategy
- First step: control your momentum
- Central sector: full but stable pace
- Final: decisive progression
It is needed here controlled explosiveness.
🧬 Identikit of the climb
| Feature | Profile |
|---|---|
| Type | Short and intense |
| Land | Brilliant climber |
| Difficulty | Media |
| Style | Explosive |
| Key point | First 400 m |
| Enemy | Too strong start |
| Quality required | Reactivity |
🏁 In short
La Madonna of San Giovanni it's a quality yellow:
a few minutes,
so much substance.
A climb that combines rapid effort and immediate beauty.
No kilometers are accumulated here.
Sensations are collected.
