Colle di San Pedrino

Overview

Colle di San Pedrino is a short, approachable climb that rewards rhythm over raw power. Over 4.8 km the road lifts you from 249 m at its base to a 405 m summit, a net gain of 156 m at an average gradient of 3.26%. That average tells you almost everything you need to know: this is a category-4 ascent, the gentlest rung on the classification ladder below categories 3, 2, 1 and the hors catégorie giants. The steepest pitch tops out at just 6.3%, so there is nothing here that will force you out of the saddle for long. It is the kind of climb you can ride hard from bottom to top without ever truly cracking.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The numbers hint at a climb with more shape than a flat 3.26% would suggest. With a max of 6.3% sitting roughly twice as steep as the average, the ascent clearly mixes near-flat drags with a handful of firmer ramps. Expect stretches where the gradient eases almost to nothing, letting you carry speed, punctuated by short kicks up toward that 6.3% ceiling. Because the total ascent of 143 m is slightly less than the 156 m net gain, the profile even includes a brief downhill or flat respite somewhere along the way, a small reprieve that resets your legs before the road tilts up again.

Pacing Notes

On a climb this short and shallow, pacing is about pressure, not survival. Ride it just below or right at your threshold — your FTP — and let the gentle average carry you. The 4.8 km distance is short enough to hold a genuinely hard effort the whole way, so treat it like an extended tempo-to-threshold interval rather than a grinding slog. Attack the 6.3% ramps with a touch more power, then recover on the flatter drags without ever fully soft-pedalling. If you are unsure what number to target, run yours through the FTP estimator first and set a wattage you can defend across the full 4.8 km.

Gearing

Most riders will find Colle di San Pedrino comfortably geared for a standard road setup. With a max of only 6.3% and an average of 3.26%, a compact 34-tooth chainring paired with a 34×32 bottom gear leaves plenty in reserve — you may never need the easiest sprocket. If you prefer to spin and keep cadence high on the ramps, a 34×34 gives even more headroom and lets you sit and turn the pedals over rather than muscling the steeper metres. Either way, this is a climb where gearing is a comfort choice, not a necessity.

Summary

Colle di San Pedrino is a friendly, rhythmic category-4 climb: short at 4.8 km, gentle at 3.26% average, and never harsher than 6.3%. It suits a hard tempo effort, forgiving gearing, and a summit that arrives before fatigue sets in.

Length: 4.8 km
Average gradient: 3.26%
Max gradient: 6.3%
Start: 249 m
Summit: 405 m
Net gain: 156 m
Total ascent: 143 m
Category: 4