Stelvio Bike Day / Stilfserjoch Radtag.
The car-free ride day from Prad up to the Stilfserjoch is pure climbing: in barely 25 kilometres you gather around 1,840 vertical metres with no real descent to break it up. The ascent splits into two long blocks, the second - from kilometre 15 - noticeably steeper at 8.8 percent. Waiting at the top is the pass at 2,757 metres, a profile that never lets you catch your breath. Also known as Passo dello Stelvio Bike Day, Stilfserjoch Radtag and Scalata Cima Coppi.
No date has been announced for the next edition yet. The course, elevation and route profile are from the most recent edition.
Stelvio Bike Day: Course, Elevation & Route Profile
Once a year, one of cycling's most storied roads is handed over to riders. On Stelvio Bike Day the climb is closed to motor traffic between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., from Trafoi up to the summit as well as on the approaches from Bormio and from Santa Maria on the Swiss side. There is no mass start, no registration and no timing; everyone sets off individually, and thousands of cyclists take the opportunity every year.
The classic South Tyrolean ascent starts in Prad at 910 metres and climbs 24.96 kilometres and 1,848 vertical metres to the pass at 2,758 metres, through the famous 48 hairpins. Almost none of it is flat: barely two percent of the route is level, the rest gains height continuously. The profile falls into two halves. As far as Trafoi the road rises for around 14 kilometres at close to seven percent average, already banking nearly 1,000 metres of climbing. From kilometre 15 the celebrated wall of hairpins begins: almost ten kilometres at 8.8 percent average with ramps well into double digits, stacked one switchback above the other to the summit.
With no cars, no race numbers and no clock, what remains is the essence: one of the sport's great climbs, ridden at your own pace, with the Stelvio scenery to yourself.
| Start | Length | Ø | Max. | Gain | Cat. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| km 0.6 | 14.1 km | 6.9 % | 17.9 % | +965 m | HC |
| km 15 | 9.8 km | 8.8 % | 19 % | +862 m | HC |
Climb categories follow the road-cycling convention and rate the terrain itself (length and gradient) regardless of sport: Cat. 4 marks the easiest rated climbs, Cat. 1 the hardest, and HC (hors catégorie, “beyond categorization”) is reserved for the most brutal ascents. Short climbs below the Cat. 4 threshold stay unrated.
How to pace Stelvio Bike Day.
Sit in early
This is a mountain time trial against your own fatigue, not a stage with group tactics. More than 43 percent of the route is steeper than a moderate grade and there is almost no true flat - settle into a steady climbing effort you can hold for one to well over two hours.
Ration your effort
The first block up to kilometre 15 averages 6.9 percent; deliberately keep a reserve here, because the second block above it steps up to 8.8 percent, with hairpins pitching to 17 to 19 percent. From around kilometre 16 you are above 2,000 metres, where the thinner air cuts your power - that is the decisive stretch.
Race the finale
The main trap is taking the gentler lower kilometres too fast and cracking on the steep upper section. Drink and eat on a fixed rhythm while the gradient allows it, not once it is too late.
Training plan for Stelvio Bike Day: 12-week build
Build endurance
Even without a clock, this is a serious physical undertaking: climbing 1,848 vertical metres in one continuous effort takes most recreational riders between two and four hours, and it comes as a single, unbroken aerobic load. There is no flat section to recover on and not a metre of descent before the summit; the profile registers essentially zero percent downhill.
Train the climbs
That makes the training brief unusually clear: build the ability to hold a steady power output uphill for several hours. The foundation is aerobic volume from long rides, layered with threshold and sweet-spot work that grows over the weeks, for example from two times 20 minutes towards 60 minutes or more of continuous effort. If you have access to long climbs, use them; if not, long steady-state intervals on flat roads at carefully even power serve the same purpose.
Ride race-specific
Two features of the course deserve specific attention. First, pacing: the lower half to Trafoi averages close to seven percent, while the wall of hairpins that starts at kilometre 15 averages 8.8 percent with ramps well above ten. Ride the bottom too hard and you pay twice at the top, where the air above 2,000 metres is noticeably thinner.
Arrive fresh
Second, gearing: choose ratios that let you keep a fluid cadence even on double-digit gradients, because grinding for hours costs far more than it saves. Finally, pack clothing for the summit at 2,758 metres; after hours of climbing, a long and cold descent follows.
Courses
Download the Stelvio Bike Day course as a GPX file for your watch or bike computer.
Let YOUB adapt your plan for Stelvio Bike Day / Stilfserjoch Radtag dynamically
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Everything about Stelvio Bike Day / Stilfserjoch Radtag.
How long is Stelvio Bike Day?
Stelvio Bike Day is 24.96 km long. That distance shapes how much aerobic endurance, pace durability, and race-specific work belong in the training plan.
How much elevation gain does Stelvio Bike Day have?
Stelvio Bike Day has around 1,848 m of elevation gain over 24.96 km. That affects pacing, muscular load, and preparation for late-race sections.
What is the route profile of Stelvio Bike Day?
Stelvio Bike Day is classified as Mountainous, averaging 74.3 vertical metres per kilometre. 2% of the route is flat, 55% climbs moderately (2 to 6%) and 43% is steeper than 6%.
What climbs does Stelvio Bike Day have?
The hardest climb of Stelvio Bike Day starts at kilometre 0.6, runs for 14.1 km at an average of 6.9% and gains 965 metres. Cycling-convention rating: HC. 2 climbs are mapped in total.
Is Stelvio Bike Day a loop course?
No, Stelvio Bike Day is a point-to-point course: start and finish are in different places.
Is there a GPX file for the Stelvio Bike Day course?
Yes. The Stelvio Bike Day course is on this page as a free GPX download — ready to import into Garmin, Wahoo, Komoot, Strava or any other app that reads GPX.
How should I prepare for Stelvio Bike Day?
Preparation for Stelvio Bike Day should account for 24.96 km, 1,848 m of elevation gain, current training load, and available training time. An adaptive plan helps place key sessions without ignoring recovery and real life.
What pacing strategy works for Stelvio Bike Day?
The pacing strategy for Stelvio Bike Day should reflect 24.96 km, 1,848 m of elevation gain, and your current fitness. Start controlled and keep margin for sections where the profile or fatigue makes target pace harder.
When does Stelvio Bike Day / Stilfserjoch Radtag next take place?
No date has been announced for the next edition yet. The most recent one was held on August 29, 2026.
Where does Stelvio Bike Day / Stilfserjoch Radtag take place?
Stelvio Bike Day / Stilfserjoch Radtag takes place in Prad am Stilfserjoch, Italy.
How do I register for Stelvio Bike Day?
Registration runs through the organiser: nationalpark-stelvio.it. YOUB shows you the course, elevation profile and training plan for your preparation.
