A camshaft for an internal combustion engine includes a cam lobe for actuating a valve. The cam lobe has an opening ramp profile that acts to loft the valve gear away from contact with the cam lobe to a maximum lift of the valve, with the valve gear returning to contact with a closing ramp of the cam lobe sufficiently in advance of a minimum cam lobe closing ramp height so as to dissipate enough closing energy of the valve to minimize valve bounce after the valve contacts a corresponding valve seat.