Colle di Teleccio

Overview

Colle di Teleccio is a hors catégorie monster, the kind of climb that rewards patience and punishes ego. Over 24.3 km it lifts you from a valley floor at 457 m all the way to a 1951 m summit — a net gain of 1494 m. The average gradient reads 6.15%, which sounds almost civilised until you notice the length attached to it. This is not a wall you sprint; it is a sustained effort measured in tens of minutes, where the total ascent of 1469 m has to be metered out rather than attacked.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The headline average of 6.15% hides the real story. With a max gradient of 24.99%, this climb is anything but uniform. Twenty-four kilometres of road cannot hold a steady tilt, so expect the grade to breathe — shallower ramps where you can recover, then sharp pitches that briefly touch that eye-watering near-25% maximum. Because the net gain (1494 m) sits above the total ascent figure would suggest for a perfectly monotonic road, the profile almost certainly rolls: short descents or flats punctuate the climbing, so the 1469 m of actual ascent is packed into the steeper sections. Treat every easing as a gift and every steepening as a test.

Pacing Notes

On a climb this long, pacing is everything. The 6.15% average is your anchor: hold an effort you could sustain for the full 24.3 km, not one you could hold for five minutes. Ride to your FTP, keeping the steady sections comfortably below threshold so you have headroom for the ramps toward that 24.99% max — those spikes will blow your power sky-high whether you like it or not, so bank patience early.

If you are not sure what number to anchor to, run your figures through the FTP estimator before you go, then subtract a margin for the sheer duration. On an HC climb, going out too hard in the first third guarantees a walk in the last.

Gearing

Gear for the max, not the average. A 6.15% average is manageable on almost any setup, but a 24.99% pitch after 20-plus kilometres of climbing demands a bailout. A compact chainring paired with a wide-range cassette is the sensible baseline: a 34×32 will get most riders up the steady sections, but for the steepest ramps — and for tired legs deep into the 24.3 km — a 34×34 gives you the extra range to keep spinning instead of grinding to a halt. When in doubt on an HC climb, take the easier gear.

Summary

Colle di Teleccio is a genuine hors catégorie test: long, high, and spiky enough to catch out anyone who mistakes its modest average for an easy day. Respect the distance, gear low, pace to your threshold, and the 1951 m summit is yours.

Length: 24.3 km
Average gradient: 6.15%
Max gradient: 24.99%
Start: 457 m
Summit: 1951 m
Net gain: 1494 m
Total ascent: 1469 m
Category: HC