Col du Corbeau / Gola del Corvo

Overview

The Col du Corbeau, or Gola del Corvo, is a genuine hors catégorie effort — the hardest rung on the classification ladder before you even count the numbers. At 22.8 km long, it climbs from a valley floor at 28 m all the way to a 1405 m summit, a net elevation gain of 1377 m. The average gradient of 6.03% sounds almost civilised, but that figure hides a total ascent of 1426 m, which tells you the road does not simply tip up and hold steady. It undulates, and somewhere in its length it throws a wall at you: a max gradient of 27.01%.

How the Gradient Unfolds

Read the shape rather than a single average. Over 22.8 km, gaining 1377 m net from bottom to top, the mean of 6.03% is the sort of grade you can hold at tempo — on paper. But the total ascent of 1426 m exceeds the net gain by 49 m, which means the climb gives a little back in places before clawing it away again. Those false flats and dips reset your rhythm and sharpen the steep sections that follow. The headline threat is the 27.01% max ramp. A pitch that steep, on a climb already this long, is the kind of number that turns a sustainable ride into a survival exercise if you arrive at it with nothing left in the tank.

Pacing Notes

On a climb this long, discipline early pays dividends late. Twenty-two-plus kilometres reward riders who settle into a steady effort rather than chasing the road's changes in slope. Anchor your pacing to your FTP: on the shallower stretches near the 6.03% average, ride comfortably below threshold so you bank reserves for the 27.01% ramp, where power and cadence both spike whether you want them to or not. If you do not know your threshold, run your recent numbers through the FTP estimator before you commit to a plan. The 1377 m of net climbing means this is a long-duration effort, so fuel and drink on the easier gradients while you still can.

Gearing

Gear for the wall, not the average. A 6.03% mean is manageable on almost any setup, but a 27.01% pitch near the end of a 22.8 km climb demands the lowest ratio you can bolt on. A compact 34-tooth chainring paired with a 32-tooth sprocket — 34×32 — is the sensible floor for the steep sections; if your legs are already deep into 1377 m of climbing, a 34×34 gives you the extra breathing room to spin rather than grind through the steepest ramp. Bigger cassettes exist, and on an HC climb of this length nobody will judge you for using them.

Summary

The Col du Corbeau / Gola del Corvo earns its HC label honestly: long, tall, and spiked with a brutal maximum ramp. Pace it patiently, gear it generously, and respect the 27.01% pitch and you will reach the 1405 m summit intact.

Length: 22.8 km
Average gradient: 6.03%
Max gradient: 27.01%
Start: 28 m
Summit: 1405 m
Net gain: 1377 m
Total ascent: 1426 m
Category: HC