Foce di Rastello

Overview

Foce di Rastello is a category 1 ascent that asks a real question of your legs: 13.2 km of climbing at an average gradient of 6.86%, rising from a start elevation of 136 m to a summit at 1045 m. That's 909 m of net elevation gain packed into a single, sustained effort — a climb long enough to settle into but steep enough that you never fully relax. With a max gradient of 18.48%, it also hides at least one moment that will spike your heart rate well past your comfort zone.

At just under 7% for the better part of an hour, this is textbook long-climb territory: not so shallow that you can muscle it, not so steep that it becomes pure survival from the bottom. It rewards riders who pace with discipline.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The headline average of 6.86% is honest, but averages lie about the shape. The gap between that 6.86% mean and the 18.48% maximum is the whole story here. Somewhere on these 13.2 km, the road pitches to more than 18% — roughly two and a half times the average — which means there are also softer stretches that pull the mean back down.

Note too that the total ascent of 889 m is slightly less than the net gain of 909 m, a 20 m difference that tells you the profile is almost relentlessly upward with negligible false-flat or downhill relief. In practice, expect a grinding lower and middle section punctuated by one or more brutal ramps, with the gradient staying honest all the way to 1045 m. There is no long summit plateau to coast toward — the climbing continues until the top.

Pacing Notes

The single most common mistake on a climb like this is going out too hard on the early slopes and paying for it when the 18.48% ramp arrives. Set your effort against your sustainable power. A climb of roughly an hour should sit at or just below your FTP for most riders — treat that as your ceiling, not your target, and leave a reserve for the steep pitches.

If you don't know your threshold, run the numbers first with the FTP estimator and build your climb plan from there. On the 18% section, accept that your speed will crater; hold steady power, stay seated where you can, and let the gradient — not your ego — dictate the pace.

Gearing

With sustained 6.86% grades and a 18.48% spike over 909 m of gain, gearing is not the place to save weight. A compact 34-tooth inner ring is the baseline. Pair it with at least a 34×32 for the sustained middle third — that's the setup most fit amateurs will want as their bail-out gear.

For the 18.48% ramp, or if you're carrying fatigue or luggage, go further: a 34×34 gives you meaningful extra spin so you can keep your cadence up and your knees happy when the road rears up. Spinning a low gear beats grinding a heavy one every time on a climb this long.

Summary

Foce di Rastello is a sustained category 1 test — long enough to demand pacing, steep enough in places to demand humility, and topped out high enough to feel like a genuine summit. Pace to threshold, gear low, and respect the ramps.

Length: 13.2 km
Average gradient: 6.86%
Max gradient: 18.48%
Start: 136 m
Summit: 1045 m
Net gain: 909 m
Total ascent: 889 m
Category: 1