Foce di Torsana

Overview

Foce di Torsana is a long, patient climb that asks for endurance rather than raw explosiveness. Over 21.8 km the road lifts you from 172 m at the base to 1357 m at the summit, a net gain of 1185 m. The average gradient sits at 5.43%, which places it firmly in category 1 territory — not the brutal wall of an HC climb, but far more sustained than the shorter category 2, 3, and 4 ascents. At this length, small errors in pacing compound, so the challenge is as much mental as physical.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The headline number is that 5.43% average, but averages hide the story. Total ascent measures 1166 m of actual climbing while the net gain is 1185 m, and the small difference between those figures tells you the road is not perfectly monotonic — there are brief pitches that ease or even tip slightly downward before resuming the climb. That means you rarely settle into a single unbroken rhythm.

The steepest ramp reaches 10.32%, nearly double the average. On a 21.8 km climb, a pitch approaching double the mean gradient is where riders who started too hard begin to unravel. Treat that maximum as a marker: everything below it is manageable at a steady effort, but the 10.32% sections demand you have reserves left in the tank rather than spending them early.

Pacing Notes

For a climb this long, effort discipline is everything. A sensible target for most riders is to hold just below threshold on the sustained 5.43% sections and accept short spikes above it on the steep ramps toward 10.32%. Your FTP is the single most useful number for planning this — it defines the wattage you can hold for roughly an hour, and at 21.8 km many riders will be climbing for around that duration or longer.

If you don't know your threshold, run the numbers first with the FTP estimator. Anchor your first two-thirds of the climb a touch under that figure, leaving headroom for the steepest pitches near the top where the road bites hardest.

Gearing

With an average of 5.43% stretched across 21.8 km and ramps hitting 10.32%, gearing is about protecting your legs over the full 1185 m of ascent, not just surviving one wall. A compact 34-tooth inner chainring is the right starting point. Pair it with at least a 34×32 for the sustained middle sections, which gives you a low enough ratio to spin rather than grind on the steady grade. For the 10.32% pitches — and for riders who want insurance late in a long climb — a 34×34 is the smarter choice, letting you keep cadence up when fatigue has already accumulated over more than a thousand metres of gain. Err toward the easier gear; you will never regret it near the summit.

Summary

Foce di Torsana rewards riders who respect its length. Meter your effort, gear low, and save something for the 10.32% ramps, and the 1185 m of net gain becomes a rhythm rather than a fight.

Length: 21.8 km
Average gradient: 5.43%
Max gradient: 10.32%
Start: 172 m
Summit: 1357 m
Net gain: 1185 m
Total ascent: 1166 m
Category: 1