Forcella dell'Alpe

Overview

Forcella dell'Alpe is a Category 1 climb that asks a serious question of anyone who points their front wheel at it. Over 12.6 km the road lifts you from a valley floor at 198 m to a summit at 1190 m — a net gain of 992 m at an average gradient of 7.85%. That average alone marks it as hard: sustained sevens for well over an hour separate this from the rolling foothill climbs. But the number that lingers is the maximum: 25.56%. That is not a gradient you ride so much as one you survive, and it colours how you approach everything below it.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The headline figure — 7.85% over 12.6 km — hides a climb with real texture. An average this high means there is very little respite; even the "easy" stretches sit close to the mean, because the road has to compensate for any flatter recovery sections by ramping steeply elsewhere.

The gap between the average of 7.85% and the maximum of 25.56% is the story. A pitch of 25.56% is more than three times the average, so it cannot last long, but it will demand everything when it arrives. Expect the climb to breathe in a hard rhythm: long stretches near the average punctuated by short, brutal kicks that spike your power and your heart rate. Ride it assuming the road will hurt most exactly where you'd hope it eased off.

Pacing Notes

With 992 m of vertical to absorb, this is an effort you meter from the bottom, not the top. The classic error is chasing the early gradient and arriving at the steep pitches already cracked.

Anchor your pacing to your FTP. On a climb averaging 7.85%, a sustainable tempo just below threshold will carry you the full 12.6 km, while the 25.56% ramps force brief surges well above it — surges you can only afford if the baseline effort is honest. If you don't know your number, run the FTP estimator before you tackle it and set a ceiling you can hold for the duration. Bank effort early; spend it on the steep bits.

Gearing

Do not under-gear this climb. The 7.85% average is manageable with a compact and a wide cassette, but the 25.56% maximum is what dictates your setup. A 34×32 is the sensible floor for strong riders, giving you a low enough ratio to keep cadence over the sustained sections. For most, though, a 34×34 is the smarter choice — the extra sprocket buys you a bailout gear for the steepest ramps, letting you grind through the 25.56% pitch without stalling or lurching out of the saddle. Fit the 34×34 and be grateful for it.

Summary

Forcella dell'Alpe is a Category 1 climb that earns its rating: long, steep, and spiked with a genuinely fierce maximum. Pace it from your threshold, gear low, and respect the 992 m of gain.

Length: 12.6 km
Average gradient: 7.85%
Max gradient: 25.56%
Start: 198 m
Summit: 1190 m
Net gain: 992 m
Total ascent: 974 m
Category: 1