The pass of Santa Cristina is a pleasant discovery for bike lovers who want to cycle on less busy roads.
This climb starts at km 7 of the SS.39 at about 780 m a.s.l. and reaches the pass, at 1427 m a.s.l., with an average gradient of 8.2% and a maximum of 14%. This ascent was revealed to the cycling community during the 1994 Giro d’Italia, when Marco Pantani outdistanced Indurain and arrived all alone to Aprica. You will reach this ski resort after a total climb of almost 12.5 km, either from Tresenda or Stazzona, turning left into the mountain road to Santa Cristina. After about 1 km, the ascent becomes demanding and the gradient remain steep until a place called Mezzamonte, where a group of huts offer a good landmark after so many roads criss-crossing the dense wood. There are several long straight sections where it is impossible to release the big effort. Once you have finally reached the pass, the road becomes gentle and at the crossroad you can choose if you prefer to go on towards Trivigno, suffering again for a while, or to go down to the nearby town of Aprica.
