Cavallo di Novezza

Overview

Cavallo di Novezza is a long-haul category 1 climb that rewards patience over aggression. At 25.1 km, it is the kind of ascent you settle into rather than attack, climbing from a valley floor at 87 m to a summit of 1431 m. That works out to 1344 m of net elevation gain, with 1346 m of total ascent once the handful of flatter recovery stretches are counted. The average gradient of 5.35% sounds gentle on paper, but sustained across 25.1 km it becomes a serious test of endurance and pacing discipline.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The headline number to respect is the max gradient of 14.07%. On a climb averaging just 5.35%, a pitch that steep tells you the road is not uniform — the ascent hides its difficulty in variation. Long stretches sit near or below the average, letting you spin and breathe, before the gradient stacks up into steeper ramps. Because total ascent (1346 m) sits only 2 m above net gain (1344 m), there is almost no meaningful descending along the way. Nearly every metre climbed stays climbed. That makes Cavallo di Novezza a relentless, one-directional effort: you rarely coast, and the elevation profile marches steadily upward from bottom to top.

Pacing Notes

On a climb this long, the winning strategy is even, sustainable effort. Anchor your pace to your FTP and hold a wattage you can defend for the full 25.1 km rather than chasing the steep ramps toward that 14.07% max. Riders who blow their matches early on the shallower lower slopes pay for it dearly in the final kilometres. If you are unsure what power you can hold, run the numbers through the FTP estimator before you go, then subtract a small margin so you finish strong instead of surviving. Treat the 5.35% average as your baseline rhythm and let the steeper pitches raise your effort briefly — not your panic.

Gearing

With 1344 m of net gain over 25.1 km and ramps hitting 14.07%, gearing is about protecting your legs deep into the climb. A compact 34-tooth chainring paired with a wide cassette is the sensible default. A 34×32 will get most fit riders up the average slopes comfortably, but on a climb this sustained, the extra range of a 34×34 buys you cadence insurance for the steep pitches near that max gradient — especially in the back half, when fatigue has already accumulated over the earlier kilometres. If your climbing is loaded with long days like this one, favour the 34×34; the lower gear costs nothing on the shallow sections and saves your knees on the ramps.

Summary

Cavallo di Novezza is a true long-distance category 1 climb: 25.1 km of steady upward work, a 5.35% average that never quite lets go, and a 14.07% max to keep you honest. Pace it evenly, gear for the ramps, and let the 1344 m of gain come to you one kilometre at a time.

Length: 25.1 km
Average gradient: 5.35%
Max gradient: 14.07%
Start: 87 m
Summit: 1431 m
Net gain: 1344 m
Total ascent: 1346 m
Category: 1