Genna Croce

Overview

Genna Croce is a long, patient category 1 climb that trades brutal steepness for sheer duration. Over 23.1 km it lifts you from a valley floor at 31 m to a 1023 m summit, a net gain of 992 m with 986 m of total ascent along the way. The average gradient reads a moderate 4.3%, but do not let that number fool you: on a climb this length, an "easy" average still adds up to nearly an hour of sustained work for most riders. This is a rhythm climb, one where the outcome is decided less by any single ramp and more by how well you manage the accumulating cost of holding a pace for over twenty kilometres.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The defining feature of Genna Croce is the gap between its 4.3% average and its 10.91% maximum. That spread of just over 6.6 percentage points tells you the climb is not uniform. Long stretches must sit well below the average — false flats, shallow drags, perhaps sections where you can carry real speed — to balance out the steepest pitch at 10.91%. Because total ascent (986 m) sits fractionally below net gain (992 m), the road climbs almost relentlessly upward with negligible descending in between; there is little free recovery here. Expect the hardest gradients to punctuate an otherwise steady grind rather than stacking into one sustained wall.

Pacing Notes

On a 23.1 km climb, pacing is everything. Anchor your effort to your FTP and aim to hold a controlled percentage of it from the base, resisting the urge to attack the shallow opening kilometres. The steady 4.3% average rewards a metronomic tempo far more than surges. When the gradient bites toward 10.91%, let your effort rise briefly rather than trying to hold speed — then settle straight back to rhythm once it eases. If you are unsure what wattage you can sustain across the roughly 992 m of climbing, run the numbers first with the FTP estimator so you leave the base at a number you can actually defend to the summit at 1023 m.

Gearing

With 992 m to gain across 23.1 km, gearing is about protecting your cadence over the long haul, not just surviving the 10.91% pitch. A compact 34-tooth inner ring is the sensible foundation. Pair it with a 34×32 for a smooth spinning gear that keeps your legs turning through the sustained middle third. If you climb at a lower cadence, carry extra weight, or simply want insurance against fatigue on the steepest ramp, step up to a 34×34 — that extra sprocket buys meaningful relief when the gradient touches 10.91% deep into the effort. Either way, err toward easier gearing; on a climb this long, the ability to sit and spin is worth more than raw punch.

Summary

Genna Croce is a test of patience and pacing: a 23.1 km category 1 ascent that gains 992 m at a manageable 4.3% average, saving its 10.91% sting for those who arrive tired. Ride it smart, gear it kind, and let rhythm carry you to the 1023 m top.

Length: 23.1 km
Average gradient: 4.3%
Max gradient: 10.91%
Start: 31 m
Summit: 1023 m
Net gain: 992 m
Total ascent: 986 m
Category: 1