Colla del Termine

Overview

Colla del Termine is a Category 2 climb that packs a genuine day-shaping effort into 9.9 km. From a low start at just 41 m, the road climbs steadily to a summit of 662 m, delivering 621 m of net elevation gain across the ascent. The average gradient of 6.28% tells you this is relentless rather than gentle — there is no false-flat reprieve baked into that mean, and a maximum pitch of 14.41% confirms the road is willing to bite. With 606 m of total ascent recorded over the climb, almost every metre you gain, you keep. This is a sustained grind that rewards patience early and honesty about your limits.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The headline number is a 6.28% average, but averages hide the story. Over 9.9 km that mean is stitched together from long consistent ramps punctuated by steeper kicks, the harshest of them reaching 14.41% — more than double the average. Because the net gain (621 m) and total ascent (606 m) are so close together, you can trust that the climb runs upward almost the whole way, without significant descending sections to reset your legs. Expect the gradient to hover near the average for long stretches, then spike hard on the steepest ramp. Those pitches are where riders who went out too fast come undone. The gap between the 6.28% average and the 14.41% max is the single most important thing to respect here: pace for the average, but keep something in reserve for the moments the road doubles in steepness.

Pacing Notes

The smartest way to ride Colla del Termine is to anchor your effort to a percentage of your FTP rather than chasing a fixed speed. On a 9.9 km climb averaging 6.28%, most riders will be climbing for a sustained block, so a threshold-adjacent effort with a small ceiling for the 14.41% ramp is ideal. Settle into a controlled rhythm from the 41 m start, resist the temptation to attack the early slopes, and save matches for the steep pitch. If you do not know your threshold, run the numbers through the FTP estimator first — it turns a guess into a plan. Aim to arrive at the 662 m summit having spent your effort evenly rather than blowing up before the hardest section.

Gearing

With 621 m of climbing to absorb over 9.9 km and a 14.41% maximum, gearing is not the place to be proud. A compact 34-tooth chainring paired with a wide cassette is the sensible baseline. A 34×32 will keep most fit climbers spinning through the 6.28% average sections, but on the 14.41% ramp a 34×34 gives you the extra security to hold cadence without grinding to a standstill. If your knees or your legs are already fatigued, the 34×34 is the smarter default — the small weight penalty is nothing next to the cost of stalling on the steepest pitch.

Summary

Colla del Termine is an honest Category 2 test: 9.9 km of near-continuous climbing from 41 m to 662 m, averaging 6.28% with a 14.41% sting. Pace it to the average, gear for the max, and it becomes a climb you finish strong rather than survive.

Length: 9.9 km
Average gradient: 6.28%
Max gradient: 14.41%
Start: 41 m
Summit: 662 m
Net gain: 621 m
Total ascent: 606 m
Category: 2