Colle della Mologna Piccola

Overview

Colle della Mologna Piccola is a category 1 ascent that stretches 16.8 km from a start elevation of 478 m to a summit of 1318 m. On paper the numbers look approachable — an average gradient of just 5% — but that figure hides the real character of the climb. Over its full length you gain 840 m of net elevation, with a total ascent of 822 m once the rolling sections are counted. The gap between the gentle average and a savage 20.69% maximum tells you everything: this is a climb of contrasts, where long, manageable stretches are punctuated by ramps that force you out of the saddle.

How the Gradient Unfolds

With 840 m of net gain spread across 16.8 km, the arithmetic gives that mild 5% mean. But averages lie on a climb like this. A 20.69% maximum means there are pitches roughly four times steeper than the average, and those are the moments that shape your ride. Expect the road to breathe — easing back to let you recover, then rearing up without much warning. Because the total ascent (822 m) sits just below the net gain, the profile is largely relentless upward rather than a series of false flats and descents; the climbing is honest and near-continuous, with the sting concentrated in short, sharp ramps rather than one sustained wall.

Pacing Notes

Long climbs reward discipline, and 16.8 km is long enough that early enthusiasm gets punished late. Anchor your effort to your FTP and hold something in reserve for the steep ramps, where the gradient toward 20.69% will spike your power far above threshold whether you like it or not. The trick is to bleed as little time as possible on the flatter 5% sections while surviving the pitches without redlining. If you do not know your threshold, run the numbers through the FTP estimator first — pacing a climb of this length by feel alone usually ends with a blow-up before the summit at 1318 m.

Gearing

The average may be 5%, but you must gear for the 20.69% maximum, not the mean. A compact 34-tooth chainring paired with a 34×32 low is the sensible starting point for most riders tackling this climb, giving you a bailout ratio for the steep ramps while keeping usable steps on the gentler grades. If you carry any fatigue, ride at a lighter build, or simply want to protect your knees over 16.8 km of climbing, size down further to 34×34. On a category 1 ascent with pitches this steep, the extra sprocket is cheap insurance — spinning a low gear beats grinding to a halt on a wall you cannot see the top of.

Summary

Colle della Mologna Piccola packs a lot into 16.8 km: a friendly 5% average that masks a brutal 20.69% maximum, 840 m of net elevation to the 1318 m summit, and a category 1 rating earned by its ramps rather than its length. Gear low, pace by threshold, and respect the steep sections.

Length: 16.8 km
Average gradient: 5%
Max gradient: 20.69%
Start: 478 m
Summit: 1318 m
Net gain: 840 m
Total ascent: 822 m
Category: 1