Forca Slips

Overview

Forca Slips is a hors catégorie ascent that packs an enormous amount of vertical into a short distance. Over just 8.2 km it lifts you from 233 m at the base to a 1289 m summit, a net gain of 1056 m. The average gradient is a savage 12.82%, a figure that would be a punishing maximum on many climbs but here describes the entire road. This is not a climb you settle into; it is one you survive. With a max gradient of 26.74%, Forca Slips sits firmly among the hardest paved climbs a cyclist can attempt, and its HC rating is well earned.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The defining feature of Forca Slips is relentlessness. An average of 12.82% across 8.2 km means there is almost nowhere to recover. Where gentler climbs hide their steep pitches behind flatter stretches, this one offers no such mercy: the mean gradient itself is steeper than the crux of most category 1 climbs.

The 26.74% maximum tells you the road doubles back on its own difficulty in places, spiking to more than twice the average. Expect the steepest ramps to arrive without warning and to stack together rather than space themselves out kindly. The total ascent of 1036 m is marginally less than the 1056 m net gain, confirming there is essentially no descending along the way — every metre of road climbs. Treat the whole thing as one continuous effort broken only by the sharpest walls demanding a surge.

Pacing Notes

On a climb this steep, pacing is really about managing power output against a wall. Riding above your FTP on the opening kilometres will end your day early, because there is no flat section ahead to bail you out. If you do not know your threshold reliably, run the numbers through the FTP estimator before you commit to Forca Slips.

Aim to hold a steady, sustainable effort on the 12.82% average sections and accept short over-threshold spikes only where the 26.74% ramps leave no choice. The goal is to keep your cadence from collapsing; once you grind to a halt on a pitch this steep, restarting is brutal. Break the 8.2 km into small mental blocks and ride each one honestly.

Gearing

Do not under-gear this climb. With a 12.82% average and pitches touching 26.74%, you want the lowest ratio your bike will accept. A compact 34-tooth chainring paired with a 32-tooth cassette sprocket (34×32) is the sensible minimum, and even strong riders will be grateful for it on the walls.

If your frame and derailleur allow it, go further to a 34×34 — the extra sprocket buys precious cadence exactly where the road bites hardest. On a 1056 m ascent this concentrated, easier gearing is not a weakness; it is what keeps you pedalling rather than walking.

Summary

Forca Slips is a short, ferociously steep HC climb that rewards conservative pacing and generous gearing. Respect the 12.82% average, fear the 26.74% ramps, and you will reach the summit under your own power.

Length: 8.2 km
Average gradient: 12.82%
Max gradient: 26.74%
Start: 233 m
Summit: 1289 m
Net gain: 1056 m
Total ascent: 1036 m
Category: HC