Colletta di Costafinale

Overview

Colletta di Costafinale is a category-1 climb that asks for 14 km of sustained effort from the moment you tilt upward. It starts at 143 m and tops out at 1129 m, a summit that sits high enough to change the light and the air by the time you reach it. The headline figure is the net gain: 986 m earned across those 14 km, with 969 m of that coming as pure total ascent once you discount any brief flatter breathers along the way. At a 7.02% average gradient, this is a climb that never really lets you coast — it is a long, honest ceiling of resistance rather than a series of sharp bursts.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The average of 7.02% tells you the mood, but the 15.24% maximum tells you where the climb bares its teeth. Over 14 km, an average that high means the road rarely dips into recovery territory; instead, the gradient oscillates around that 7% mark with ramps that push more than double it. Expect the difference between the average and the max — a swing of over 8 percentage points — to arrive without much warning. On a climb where net gain (986 m) so closely tracks total ascent (969 m), there are almost no false flats or descents to hide behind. What you see on the profile is what your legs will feel: a near-continuous drag punctuated by steep pinches that briefly spike toward 15.24%.

Pacing Notes

The smartest way to ride 14 km at 7.02% is to anchor your effort to your FTP rather than the gradient underfoot. Pick a wattage you can hold for the full duration and defend it — let the steep pitches lift your power briefly, but bring it back on the shallower sections rather than surging. Because the climb is so relentless, going even slightly too deep in the first few kilometres will cost you far more than the time you gain. If you are unsure what number to target for an effort this long, run your figures through the FTP estimator first and build your climbing pace from there. On the 15.24% ramps, accept that your power will jump; the goal is to keep those spikes short and controlled, not to hold your average speed.

Gearing

For a climb averaging 7.02% over 14 km with ramps to 15.24%, gearing is not a luxury — it is what keeps your cadence off the floor. A compact 34-tooth chainring paired with a 34×32 cassette is a sensible baseline for strong climbers who can turn a bigger gear at tempo. If you weigh more, ride at a lower FTP, or simply want to protect your knees on the steepest pinches, step up to a 34×34 for extra spin room on the 15.24% sections. Both setups let you sit and grind rather than grind to a halt, which matters when the summit is 986 m of climbing away.

Summary

Colletta di Costafinale is a full-value category-1 ascent: long enough to test your pacing, steep enough to punish overreach, and topped out high enough to feel like a genuine summit. Ride it patiently, gear it generously, and let the 986 m come to you.

Length: 14 km
Average gradient: 7.02%
Max gradient: 15.24%
Start: 143 m
Summit: 1129 m
Net gain: 986 m
Total ascent: 969 m
Category: 1