Forca Sopareit

Overview

Forca Sopareit is not a climb you ease into. Over 11.4 km it averages a savage 11.23%, dragging you from a start elevation of 336 m up to a 1612 m summit. That is 1276 m of net elevation gain, with 1244 m of total ascent packed into a road that barely relents. As a hors catégorie (HC) climb — the hardest rating there is, above categories 1 through 4 — it belongs in the conversation with the most feared ascents anywhere. An average of 11.23% held for well over ten kilometres is the kind of number that turns a ride into a survival exercise.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The defining feature here is relentlessness. When a climb averages 11.23% across its full 11.4 km, there are almost no soft kilometres to recover on. The pitch that stands out is the 36.89% maximum — a gradient so steep it stops being a road you ride and becomes a wall you fight. That maximum sits far above the average, which tells you the climb is spiked: expect stretches that hover in the low double digits punctuated by ramps that spike violently upward. With net gain (1276 m) exceeding total ascent (1244 m), the road climbs almost continuously — there is very little descending or false-flat to break the rhythm. Plan your effort around the ramps, not the average.

Pacing Notes

On a climb this steep, pacing is everything. Your FTP is the number that matters most, because on gradients near and above 11.23% you cannot coast — every metre demands power. Ride the early kilometres a touch below what feels sustainable; the 36.89% spike will extract its toll whether you save energy for it or not. If you do not know your threshold, run the numbers through the FTP estimator before you commit to this one, then set a ceiling wattage and refuse to cross it on the lower ramps. Over 11.4 km at 11.23%, the riders who blow up are the ones who chase the steep sections early instead of metering out a steady, repeatable effort to the 1612 m summit.

Gearing

Do not under-gear this climb. With an average of 11.23% and a maximum of 36.89%, a standard road setup will leave you grinding at cadences that shred your legs. A compact 34-tooth chainring paired with a wide cassette is the minimum sensible starting point. A 34×32 will get many strong riders up the sustained sections, but the 36.89% ramp is where a 34×34 earns its place — that extra sprocket is the difference between spinning and stalling. If you have access to anything easier than 34×34, use it. There is no vanity in gearing on an HC wall; the goal is to keep the pedals turning to the top.

Summary

Forca Sopareit is a pure HC test: long, unrelentingly steep, and topped with a maximum gradient that demands respect and the right gears. Pace it conservatively, gear it generously, and let the numbers below set your expectations.

Length: 11.4 km
Average gradient: 11.23%
Max gradient: 36.89%
Start: 336 m
Summit: 1612 m
Net gain: 1276 m
Total ascent: 1244 m
Category: HC