This is a very nice pass road from Biella (443m) (or Occhieppo Inferiore (405m)) up via Oropa (1146m), which is a famous sanctuary – the complex of buildings is really impressive and makes most other religious sites come across as simple shelters (not quite, but this is huge). Oropa has been the finish of Giro d’Italia stages 5 times. I have noted two road variants on the map. This climb only gets steep after Oropa on the road that was asphalted rather recently (I think it was asphalted completely the year before I went there the first time in 2008). The few drainage passages on the road have big cobblestones that I would not want to go down in speed (though I cannot remember them from descending there in 2013, so they could not be that bad, but I also knew to take it easy).

The climb on the Rosazza side starts in Valmosca (865m) where the Strada Panoramica Zegna comes down from Bielmonte, and this forms the continuation of that road and it continues further west from Oropa basically all the way to Andrate (a lovely road of which this climb is the centrepiece). This side is more wild and generally steeper as the road clings the rock wall to the tunnel opening. Just before the opening there is a nice looking restaurant with good views.