Colletta dei Corni

Overview

Colletta dei Corni is a Category 1 climb that packs serious punishment into a compact 7.9 km. From a start elevation of 206 m it grinds upward to a summit of 887 m, a net gain of 681 m. The average gradient is a demanding 8.58%, and that number never lets you settle — it sits high enough that even the "easy" stretches feel like work. The total ascent registers at 665 m, and with a maximum pitch of 27.36%, this is a climb that rewards restraint early and punishes ambition late.

How the Gradient Unfolds

Do not be lulled by averages. An 8.58% mean across 7.9 km already puts Colletta dei Corni among the genuinely hard climbs, but the story is in the spread. The 27.36% maximum is nearly three times the average, which means at least one wall on this ascent is steep enough to force you out of the saddle and into survival mode. Expect the gradient to swing hard around that mean — sustained mid-single-digit sections giving way to double-digit ramps that spike toward that brutal 27.36% peak. Because the climb only covers 7.9 km, there is little room to recover once the road tilts up. The net gain of 681 m over that distance confirms there are no meaningful flat sections to catch your breath.

Pacing Notes

The smartest way up Colletta dei Corni is to ride the steady sections just under threshold and save your matches for the ramps. Anchor your effort to your FTP: on the sustained 8.58% grade, aim to sit a touch below it so you have headroom when the gradient spikes toward 27.36%. Blow up on the lower slopes and the steep pitches will end your day. If you are unsure of your current threshold, run the numbers through the FTP estimator before you tackle this one, then translate that into a target power you can hold across all 7.9 km. On a climb this short and steep, discipline in the first half buys you survival in the second.

Gearing

Gear for the walls, not the average. With a 27.36% maximum pitch and an 8.58% mean over 7.9 km, most riders will want the lowest bailout ratio they can fit. A compact 34-tooth chainring paired with a 34×32 cassette is a sensible starting point, but on the steepest ramps a 34×32 can still leave you mashing at low cadence. If you have the climbing legs of a mortal rather than a pro, 34×34 gives you that extra bit of relief to spin over the 27.36% section without wrecking your knees or your pacing. Given the 681 m of net gain crammed into so little distance, err toward the easier gear — you will not regret it near the summit.

Summary

Colletta dei Corni is a short, ferocious Category 1 test: 7.9 km, an 8.58% average, and a 27.36% wall that defines the whole climb. Pace conservatively, gear low, and respect the 681 m of net gain from 206 m to 887 m.

Length: 7.9 km
Average gradient: 8.58%
Max gradient: 27.36%
Start: 206 m
Summit: 887 m
Net gain: 681 m
Total ascent: 665 m
Category: 1