Forcella delle Sasse

Overview

Forcella delle Sasse is a Category 1 climb that asks a serious question of your legs from the very first pedal stroke. Over 13.5 km it lifts you from a start elevation of 609 m to a summit at 1604 m, a net gain of 995 m of thin air earned the hard way. The average gradient of 7.39% is not a number that flatters — it describes a road that leans on you steadily, kilometre after kilometre, with a maximum pitch of 13.7% waiting on its steepest ramp. This is a climb of sustained effort rather than a single hero wall, and treating it as such is the whole game.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The defining trait of Forcella delle Sasse is consistency. With an average of 7.39% held across 13.5 km, there is very little genuine respite — the road rarely drops to a gradient where you can freewheel and recover. Instead the shape is one of long, honest slopes punctuated by harder kicks, the sharpest of which touches 13.7%. That 13.7% spike is more than six points above the average, so it will feel like a wall dropped into an already-hard rhythm. Because the total ascent of 980 m sits just under the 995 m net gain, there is almost no descending mixed in: what you climb, you keep. Expect the middle of the climb to grind and the steep pitches to test whether you paced the opening kilometres with discipline.

Pacing Notes

The trap on a climb this even is going out too hard on the lower slopes where the legs feel fresh. With nearly 1000 m of climbing ahead, the smart approach is to ride the whole ascent close to your sustainable threshold rather than chasing the steep ramps. Anchor your effort to your FTP: on a sustained 7.39% average lasting well beyond an hour for most riders, holding a touch under threshold on the shallower sections leaves headroom to absorb the 13.7% pitch without blowing apart. If you are not sure what your ceiling is, run the numbers through the FTP estimator before you commit to a target, then hold that power steady and let the steep ramps take back only what they must.

Gearing

Gear for the sustained load, not the average. A compact 34-tooth chainring paired with a wide cassette is the sensible baseline here. Strong climbers will manage on a 34×32, which gives just enough spin to keep cadence alive through the 13.7% ramp without over-torquing the knees. If you want insurance for the back half of the 13.5 km, or you know you fade on long climbs, step up to a 34×34 — that extra sprocket buys you a lighter gear precisely when the sustained 7.39% has drained your reserves. Either way, prioritise cadence over grinding; 995 m of climbing rewards a smooth spin.

Summary

Forcella delle Sasse is a fair, honest Category 1 test: long, evenly steep, and unforgiving of a bad start. Pace it to your threshold, gear for the grind, and respect the 13.7% ramp.

Length: 13.5 km
Average gradient: 7.39%
Max gradient: 13.7%
Start: 609 m
Summit: 1604 m
Net gain: 995 m
Total ascent: 980 m
Category: 1