Colle del Melogno

Overview

Colle del Melogno is a category 1 ascent that stretches 13.7 km from a valley floor at just 22 m up to a summit at 1034 m. That works out to 1012 m of net elevation gain and an average gradient of 7.38% — a figure steep enough to keep you honest for the full distance. With a total ascent of 992 m recorded over its length, this is a climb defined less by isolated ramps and more by its sustained, grinding character. There is no easing into it and no long false-flat recovery; from bottom to top it asks for a steady, disciplined effort.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The defining number here is consistency. An average of 7.38% across 13.7 km means very little of this climb is genuinely flat, and the max gradient of 10.18% tells you the hardest pitches sit only a little above that average. That is important: the gap between the 7.38% mean and the 10.18% peak is modest, so you will not find brutal double-digit walls followed by generous recovery. Instead the road holds you close to threshold the whole way. The 22 m start and 1034 m summit bracket a climb that simply keeps rising, and the total ascent of 992 m against 1012 m of net gain confirms there is almost no descending mixed in to hand back altitude.

Pacing Notes

On a climb this uniform, pacing to your FTP is the winning strategy. Because the gradient rarely strays far from 7.38%, your power output can stay remarkably even — resist the temptation to surge on the pitches approaching 10.18%, since there is no flat section ahead in which to recover. Aim to sit just below threshold for the lower two-thirds, then allow yourself to lift toward the summit at 1034 m once you can count down the remaining metres. If you are unsure what number to target, run the numbers through the FTP estimator first and build your effort around that figure. Over 13.7 km, a pace you can hold is always faster than a pace you blow up on.

Gearing

Given 13.7 km at 7.38% with ramps to 10.18%, err toward more range than you think you need. A compact 34×32 will get most fit riders to the top, but the sustained nature of this climb — 1012 m of gain with no real respite — makes a 34×34 the safer choice, especially late in the effort when your legs are deep into that 992 m of accumulated ascent. The lower gear lets you keep cadence up on the steeper pitches without lurching over your threshold. If you have a wider cassette available, use it; spinning here beats grinding.

Summary

Colle del Melogno is a textbook sustained category 1 climb: 13.7 km of remorseless, even gradient that rewards patience and punishes the over-eager. Pace it to your FTP, gear low, and let the mountain come to you.

Length: 13.7 km
Average gradient: 7.38%
Max gradient: 10.18%
Start: 22 m
Summit: 1034 m
Net gain: 1012 m
Total ascent: 992 m
Category: 1