Finestra Vandelli

Overview

Finestra Vandelli is a climb that hides nothing. Over 13.6 km it averages 10.02%, hauling you from a valley floor at 53 m all the way to a 1415 m summit. That is a net gain of 1362 m, with a measured total ascent of 1337 m — meaning the road climbs almost without pause, giving back very little on the way up. There is no easing into this one. An average that clears 10% over such a long distance places it firmly in HC territory, the hardest classification cycling uses, and it earns that label honestly.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The defining feature here is consistency, not surprise. When a climb of 13.6 km holds a 10.02% average, it means the slope rarely drops far below double digits for any meaningful stretch. The gap between the 1362 m net gain and the 1337 m of total ascent is only 25 m — tiny across nearly 14 km — which tells you there are almost no descents or false flats to break the rhythm. From 53 m to 1415 m, the elevation profile is essentially a single, unrelenting upward line. You climb, and you keep climbing, and the grade stays honest the entire way.

Pacing Notes

On a climb this steep and this long, pacing discipline is everything. A 10.02% average means gravity sets a hard floor on your effort — you cannot coast, and there is nowhere to recover mid-climb. Anchor your effort to your sustainable threshold rather than to how you feel in the opening kilometres. Your FTP is the number that matters most here: at 13.6 km, this is a sustained tempo-to-threshold effort measured in tens of minutes, not a short punch you can muscle over. Start conservatively, hold a steady wattage, and let the summit come to you. If you are unsure of your threshold, run the numbers first with the FTP estimator so you know exactly what you can hold before you commit to the lower slopes. Going out too hard on a 1362 m ascent is the fastest way to blow apart with kilometres still to climb.

Gearing

Gear for the average, not for optimism. With a 10.02% mean gradient sustained across 13.6 km, most riders will want a compact 34-tooth inner chainring paired with a generous cassette. A 34×32 is a sensible minimum here, but on a climb this steep for this long, a 34×34 gives you a genuinely usable bailout gear and lets you keep your cadence up rather than grinding at low revolutions. Preserving cadence protects your legs across the full 1362 m of climbing. If your setup allows an even easier ratio than 34×34, this is exactly the kind of ascent where you will be glad to have it.

Summary

Finestra Vandelli is a pure HC climb: long, steep, and utterly relentless. There are no tricks and no rests — just 13.6 km of double-digit gradient carrying you 1362 m higher. Pace it with your threshold, gear it low, and respect the average.

Length: 13.6 km
Average gradient: 10.02%
Max gradient: n/a
Start: 53 m
Summit: 1415 m
Net gain: 1362 m
Total ascent: 1337 m
Category: HC