After being for many years an essential summit finish in the former Brixia Tour, the Passo del Maniva made it back in the spotlight at the Giro Next Gen in 2018 and 2019. Two talented yet ultimately unfulfilled Colombians, Alejandro Osorio and Camilo Andrés Ardila, won those stages, conquering the difficult slopes of this Brescian climb with authority.
The alpine pass connects Val Trompia and Val Sabbia and was of great strategic importance during the Great War against Austria-Hungary. The Italian Royal Army fortified the entire area, turning it into a key node of the “Giudicarie Barrier”. Even today, the bunkers and numerous trenches are clearly visible and can be visited along the pass.
In cycling, as mentioned, the climb began to gain fame in the 21st century. The Passo del Maniva measures 19.2 km with an average gradient of 5.7%, though this can vary depending on where the climb is officially deemed to begin. The ascent gradually intensifies rather than starting with a clear ramp or sharp bend. The first half, through Bovegno and Collio, offers gentle gradients of 3–4%, but things change at San Colombano.
The final 9 km to the summit, situated at an altitude of 1,659 meters, consistently rise at 7–8–9% and are inescapable. The key selection in the race is likely to happen here, and we can expect significant time gaps. In 2019, Ardila put over a minute into all his rivals.
The last time a race finished atop the Passo del Maniva was in 2022, at the end of Stage 6 of the Giro d’Italia Women. French rider Juliette Labous took the win after a breakaway, while eventual overall winner Annemiek Van Vleuten gained a few valuable seconds on her competitors.
