Forcella Rioda

Overview

Forcella Rioda is an HC monster, the kind of ascent that earns its "hors catégorie" label the honest way: by simply refusing to end. Over 23.2 km the road drags you from a start elevation of 420 m to a summit of 2009 m, a net gain of 1589 m. The average gradient reads 6.84%, which sounds civilized until you sit with it for the better part of two hours. This is a climb defined by its scale rather than a single wall — though it hides one of those too.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The headline average of 6.84% is a liar's number, as it always is on a climb this long. Total ascent comes in at 1610 m against a net gain of 1589 m, so there are small pieces of respite baked in — brief flattenings or shallow dips that let the road recover elevation it briefly gave back. That 21 m difference between total ascent and net gain is your only mercy across the whole 23.2 km.

The defining moment is the max gradient of 38.87%. A ramp that steep is barely rideable and demands to be respected long before you reach it. Around it, the climb clusters its hardest, steepest metres, and everything you do earlier should be in service of arriving there with something left in the legs.

Pacing Notes

On a 23.2 km HC effort, discipline beats bravado every time. Anchor your pacing to your FTP: most riders should settle into a sustainable percentage of threshold and hold it, treating the early kilometres as investment rather than opportunity. Going into the red before you've climbed even half of the 1589 m of net gain is how this mountain breaks people.

If you don't know your threshold number, run it through the FTP estimator before you go, then build a power ceiling you can actually defend for the full duration. When the 38.87% pitch arrives, you'll want every watt of headroom you protected on the lower slopes.

Gearing

Do not under-gear this climb. With an average of 6.84% stretched across 23.2 km and a 38.87% max, your low gear is not a luxury — it's survival equipment. A compact 34-tooth chainring paired with a 34×32 will get most fit riders up the sustained sections, but on a wall approaching 38.87% you will be grateful for a 34×34, or lower still if your frame and derailleur allow it. The extra sprocket is the difference between spinning and grinding to a halt on the steepest metres. Choose the cassette that keeps your cadence alive.

Summary

Forcella Rioda is a full HC test of patience, pacing, and gearing: 23.2 km of climbing to a 2009 m summit, with a 38.87% sting near the top. Come prepared, gear low, and pace it honestly.

Length: 23.2 km
Average gradient: 6.84%
Max gradient: 38.87%
Start: 420 m
Summit: 2009 m
Net gain: 1589 m
Total ascent: 1610 m
Category: HC