SAN DONATO

Climb n° 32

32

Eastern side

3race pts

⛪ Climb San Donato – Barbarano Mossano (Berici Hills)

The "long road" of the Berici Hills: smooth, panoramic, endless. A yellow of resistance.

San Donato is one of those climbs to be repeated countless times for its beauty and spectacularity. The challenging slopes alternate with breathtaking landscapes, the limestone slopes of San Donato, the ancient fortifications, the hairpin bends overlooking the precipice, the asphalt strip in the middle of the woods. San Donato contains all the essence of Berici Climbs! Climb from a thousand and one nights!

📊 General information

Location: Barbarano Mossano (VI) – Berici Hills
Climb name: San Donato
Length: 9,58 km
Difference: 458 m
Average slope: 3,5%
Departure altitude: ~ 60 m
Arrival altitude: ~ 393 m
Maximum slope: ~13% (short ramps)
Classification: 🟡 Yellow

An atypical climb for the Berici: it doesn't bite, consumesIt is the ascent of continuity.

🧠 Detailed technical analysis

The profile shows a climb constant but lively, without walls, with continuous changes of pace.

🟢 Sector 1 – The Approach (0 – 2,5 km | 2–4%)

Gentle start:

Wide road
Barely perceptible slope
Ideal for warming up the engine and legs

Here you enter the climb almost without realizing it.

🟡 Sector 2 – The Central Building (2,5–5,0 km | 4–6%)

The road begins to climb decisively:

Regular slope
Long stretches at 5–6%
Pure rouleur work

It is the physical heart of the climb.

🟠 Sector 3 – The Nervous Ups and Downs (5,0 – 7,0 km | 3–7%)

Here the climb breathes:

Short tears
False planes
Small descents

Great for recovering if you started too strong.

🟡 Sector 4 – The persistent finale (7,0 – 9,6 km | 4–6%)

Last kilometers of resistance:

Continuous slope
Legs already tired
Mental fatigue rather than muscular fatigue

The difficulty lies in the duration.

😌 Road sensations

San Donato doesn't attack you by the throat:

it takes you slowly,
accompanies you,
then he never lets go of you.

It's a climb that gets into your legs, kilometer after kilometer.

🌿 Naturalistic aspects

It is one of the most difficult climbs immersive of the Berici:

Dense woods
Silent valleys
Wavy ridges
Limestone caves

The road winds through green hills, with continuous, deep glimpses of the plain and the Berico hinterland.

🏛️ Historical and artistic presences

The reference is to the Church of San Donato, ancient hilltop place of worship:

Simple and rural architecture
Reference point for agricultural communities
Inserted in an intact landscape context
Ancient fortifications
Hermitage of San Donato

A climb that combines spirituality and effort.

🧩 How to deal with it

⚙️ Recommended reports

Medium-agile ratios
You don't need super-compact, but high cadence

🧠 Strategy

Go to endurance zone
Never out of revs
Eating and drinking during the climb

It's a climb from natural chronometer, not from shots.

🧬 Identikit of the climb

Feature	Profile
Type	Of resistance
Land	Passista
Difficulty	Media
Style	Constant
Key point	Length
Enemy	The monotony
Quality required	Background

🏁 In short

San Donato does not impress,
ma crafts.

It doesn't break,
but model.

It is the climb that builds the cyclist,
kilometer after kilometer.

The numbers of the climb

Length

9.5 km

Medium slope

6.2%

Maximum slope

16%

Positive height difference

421 m

Arrival fee

396 m

Flooring

Asphalt in fair condition

Municipality of departure

Barbarano Mossano

Altimetric analysis

Climb analysis

Topographic Image

Google Earth Profile

Fountains to quench your thirst

Barbarano Vicentino square

San Giovanni in Monte square

Capitals and sacred places

Technical resources

Weather in Vicenza

Stop & Go

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

No items present...

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!