Forcella Giumelli

Overview

Forcella Giumelli is a category 2 climb that rewards patience over punch. Over its full 16.6 km it gains 778 m of net elevation, lifting you from a valley floor at 562 m to a summit of 1340 m. On paper its 4.68% average reads as gentle, and for long stretches it genuinely is — but the total ascent of 739 m and a peak pitch of 17.32% tell you this is a climb that hides its teeth. The gap between the modest average and the brutal maximum is the whole story here: this is not a metronomic drag, but an irregular ascent where the effort is unevenly distributed and where reading the road matters as much as raw fitness.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The 4.68% average is a blend, not a constant. With a maximum of 17.32% — nearly four times steeper than the mean — the ramps are stacked against long shallower sections that pull the number down. Expect to spend real time well below average gradient, spinning easily, only to be interrupted by pitches that force you out of the saddle. Because net gain (778 m) sits just above total ascent (739 m), the climb is almost relentlessly upward with barely any respite or descending; there is little coasting to recover. The mental model to carry: cruise the flat-ish sections, brace for the double-digit walls, and never assume the gradient you're riding now is the gradient waiting around the bend.

Pacing Notes

Pace this climb by feel and power, not by the average. Anchoring your effort to FTP keeps you from burning matches early: aim to ride the shallow sections comfortably under threshold so you have headroom when the 17.32% ramps arrive. Those steep pitches are where riders blow up — accept a slower cadence and a brief surge above FTP, then settle back down once the road eases. If you don't know your threshold, estimate it first with the FTP estimator and set a target you can hold across the full 16.6 km. The winning strategy is even pacing on the flats and controlled, contained efforts on the walls.

Gearing

The 4.68% average lures riders into under-gearing, then the 17.32% maximum punishes them for it. Bring enough range to keep a sustainable cadence on the steepest ramps. A compact 34-tooth front with a 34×32 low will suit stronger climbers who can grind through the walls, but most riders will be far happier with a 34×34 setup that lets them spin rather than lurch on the steepest pitches. Given the climb's 16.6 km length and 778 m of gain, err toward the easier ratio — carrying a spare gear costs nothing and saves your legs across a long ascent that saves its hardest metres for when you're already tired.

Summary

Forcella Giumelli is a study in contrasts: a modest 4.68% average wrapped around a vicious 17.32% maximum, spread across a long 16.6 km. Pace conservatively, gear generously, and respect the walls, and this category 2 climb becomes a satisfying test rather than a survival exercise.

Length: 16.6 km
Average gradient: 4.68%
Max gradient: 17.32%
Start: 562 m
Summit: 1340 m
Net gain: 778 m
Total ascent: 739 m
Category: 2