Bocca Paltrane

Overview

Bocca Paltrane is one of those rare climbs that earns its HC rating on length and gradient alike. Over 20.4 km it hauls you from a start elevation of 207 m to a summit at 1829 m — a net gain of 1622 m in a single, uninterrupted effort. The average gradient of 7.93% tells only part of the story: sustained that long, it leaves almost nowhere to soft-pedal. With 1618 m of total ascent packed into those kilometres, this is a climb you commit to at the bottom and simply endure to the top.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The defining feature here is consistency, not surprise. A 7.93% average over 20.4 km means the road tilts up almost everywhere and rarely relents into anything resembling recovery. The steepest recorded pitch reaches 13.92%, so expect ramps that spike well above the mean and force a hard, grinding change of rhythm. Because net gain (1622 m) and total ascent (1618 m) sit so close together, there is essentially no descending or flat respite built into the profile — every metre of elevation you gain, you keep. Treat the whole 20.4 km as one continuous block that stiffens on its worst ramps rather than a climb with distinct easy and hard halves.

Pacing Notes

Length is what turns Bocca Paltrane from hard into hors catégorie, and the single biggest mistake is going out too hot on the lower slopes. At a 7.93% average sustained for 20.4 km, your best defence is discipline: settle into a power you can genuinely hold for the full duration rather than chasing the gradient. Anchor your effort to your FTP and aim to spend most of the climb comfortably below it, saving headroom for the 13.92% spikes where cadence collapses and torque demand jumps. If you are unsure of your threshold number, run it through the FTP estimator before you plan your pacing. On a climb this long, a slightly conservative first third almost always beats a heroic start followed by a slow-motion unravelling near 1829 m.

Gearing

Do not under-gear this one. A 20.4 km climb at 7.93%, punctuated by ramps to 13.92%, punishes anyone spinning out of low-cadence torque. For most riders a compact 34-tooth inner chainring is the sensible baseline. Pairing 34×32 gives you a usable bailout on the steady middle sections, but given the length and the steepest pitches, 34×34 is the safer choice — it lets you keep the pedals turning over on the 13.92% ramps without cracking your legs 15 km deep. If your cassette allows even more range, take it: on Bocca Paltrane, spare gears are spare energy for the summit.

Summary

Bocca Paltrane is a full-commitment HC ascent: long, steep, and unrelenting from bottom to top. Pace it below threshold, gear low, and respect the distance — the numbers do the rest.

Length: 20.4 km
Average gradient: 7.93%
Max gradient: 13.92%
Start: 207 m
Summit: 1829 m
Net gain: 1622 m
Total ascent: 1618 m
Category: HC