Genna e Frongia

Overview

Genna e Frongia is a 9.9 km category 2 climb that carries you from a near-sea-level start at 9 m up to a summit of 456 m. On paper the 4.5% average gradient reads as a steady, honest climb — the kind you can settle into and grind out. But averages hide the story, and this one has a sting buried in it: a maximum pitch of 13.61% that is more than triple the mean. The net elevation gain is 447 m, while the total ascent logs 430 m, a small gap that tells you the road briefly gives back a little height before pressing on. It is long enough to matter and steep enough in places to punish a rider who spends too early.

How the Gradient Unfolds

Think of this climb as two different roads sharing one number. For long stretches the gradient sits below the 4.5% average, letting you roll at tempo and even carry speed where the pitch relaxes. Those easier sections are what create the 17 m difference between the 447 m net gain and the 430 m total ascent — the road dips or flattens enough to reset your legs before the next ramp. The defining feature is the 13.61% maximum. A pitch that steep against a 4.5% average means the hard metres are concentrated, not spread out, so the climb rewards riders who can absorb a sudden wall without blowing apart. Read the road ahead and treat every flatter section as recovery you have earned.

Pacing Notes

Pace this one off effort, not ego. Anchor your climb to your FTP and aim to ride the shallower gradients just below threshold so you have headroom for the steep ramps. When the road tips toward 13.61%, your power will spike whether you like it or not — accept the surge, stay seated where you can for traction, and settle back down the moment the gradient eases. If you do not know your threshold number, run your recent efforts through the FTP estimator first so your targets on Genna e Frongia are based on real data rather than guesswork. Over 9.9 km, going out 15 watts too hard early will cost you far more than it saves.

Gearing

The 4.5% average does not demand exotic gearing, but the 13.61% maximum absolutely does. A compact 34-tooth chainring paired with a 34×32 low gear is the sensible baseline for most riders here — enough range to spin the steep pinch without grinding to a walking cadence. If you climb on the heavier side, carry fatigue late, or simply prefer to keep your cadence high through the wall, step up to 34×34. That extra sprocket turns the steepest metres from a survival effort into a manageable one, and on a 9.9 km climb, protecting your legs early pays off all the way to 456 m.

Summary

Genna e Frongia is a long, mostly moderate climb with one genuinely steep sting in its tail. Respect the 13.61% pitch, pace off your threshold, and gear low enough to keep spinning, and the 447 m of net gain will come to you.

Length: 9.9 km
Average gradient: 4.5%
Max gradient: 13.61%
Start: 9 m
Summit: 456 m
Net gain: 447 m
Total ascent: 430 m
Category: 2