Forca Griffon

Overview

Forca Griffon is a long, honest Category 1 climb that rewards patience over bravado. Over 15.5 km the road lifts you from 311 m at the base to a 1326 m summit, a net gain of 1015 m. The average gradient reads 6.53%, which sounds civil until you remember that averages hide the sting: pitches here reach 18.04%. With 15.5 km of sustained work and a total ascent of 992 m recorded on the way up, this is a climb you settle into rather than attack — the kind of effort where the first few kilometres decide how the last few feel.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The number that defines the shape of Forca Griffon is the gap between 6.53% and 18.04%. An average in the mid-sixes across 15.5 km means the climb is never truly flat, but it is also not relentlessly brutal — the punishing 18.04% ramps are the exception, not the rule. Expect the road to breathe: stretches near or slightly above the average, broken by steeper kicks that force you out of rhythm.

Because the summit sits at 1326 m and the base at 311 m, the elevation change is real and cumulative. There is nowhere to fully recover, so the steep sections do lasting damage if you meet them already in the red. Read the road ahead and treat every ramp toward 18.04% as a moment to protect, not to prove yourself.

Pacing Notes

On a 15.5 km climb, pacing is everything. Ride the average — 6.53% — as your baseline and let the terrain add or subtract from there rather than chasing a fixed speed. The single most useful reference is your FTP: hold the sustained sections just below or around threshold, and reserve a little headroom for the 18.04% pitches, where power will spike whether you want it to or not.

If you do not know your threshold, estimate it before you tackle a climb this long with the FTP estimator. Then aim to start conservatively — the 1015 m of climbing between 311 m and 1326 m means the second half is where discipline pays. Riders who go out hard on the early gradients almost always concede more time on the upper slopes than they ever banked below.

Gearing

Gear for the steepest moment, not the average. With ramps reaching 18.04% near the end of a 15.5 km climb, a compact 34-tooth chainring paired with a wide cassette is the sensible default. A 34×32 will get most fit riders over Forca Griffon, letting you spin the 6.53% stretches without grinding. But if you weigh more, ride at lower cadence, or simply want insurance against the 18.04% kicks arriving late, step up to 34×34 — the extra range is cheap protection over 1015 m of climbing.

Summary

Forca Griffon is a Category 1 endurance climb: long enough at 15.5 km to demand pacing, steep enough at 18.04% to demand respect, and honest enough at 6.53% average to reward whoever rides it smartest. Fuel early, gear generously, and save something for the top.

Length: 15.5 km
Average gradient: 6.53%
Max gradient: 18.04%
Start: 311 m
Summit: 1326 m
Net gain: 1015 m
Total ascent: 992 m
Category: 1