La crocetta

Overview

La crocetta is a category 2 ascent in Italy that packs a genuine mountain feel into a compact 7 km. It begins already high, at 1174 m, and works its way up to a 1659 m summit. That is a net elevation gain of 485 m across the climb, with the recorded total ascent sitting at 460 m — a hint that the road undulates slightly rather than climbing in one unbroken line.

The headline number is an average gradient of 6.97%, firmly in the range where a climb demands respect without ever being purely brutal. What sharpens the character here is the max gradient of 14.06%, roughly double the average. That gap between mean and peak is the whole story of La crocetta: manageable on paper, spiky in the legs.

How the Gradient Unfolds

With a 6.97% average and a 14.06% maximum, the terrain is clearly uneven. A perfectly steady 6.97% would carry you the full 485 m of net gain without drama, but the presence of ramps hitting 14.06% tells you the climb saves harder efforts for specific pinches. Expect stretches that sit near or below the average, punctuated by short walls that briefly double the effort.

Starting at 1174 m, you are climbing in thinner mountain air from the first pedal stroke, so those steep sections bite a little harder than the raw percentage suggests. Over 7 km, the road delivers its 485 m of vertical in pulses rather than a monotonous grind — a rhythm that rewards riders who can absorb surges without blowing apart.

Pacing Notes

The smart approach on a climb like this is to anchor your effort to your sustainable power rather than chasing the steep ramps. Ride the 6.97% sections at a controlled tempo near your threshold, then allow your effort — not your pace — to rise over the 14.06% pinches, letting speed drop while power stays bounded.

Knowing your FTP makes this far easier: it gives you a ceiling to defend on the flatter stretches and a reference for how deep you can dip on the walls before you overcook the 7 km. If you have not tested recently, the FTP estimator will get you a working number to pace against. Over 485 m of climbing, disciplined pacing on the first half leaves enough in reserve to hold form to the 1659 m top.

Gearing

For a 7 km effort averaging 6.97% with ramps to 14.06%, generous gearing is the difference between spinning and grinding. A 34×32 is a sensible baseline for stronger riders comfortable holding tempo on the steeper pitches. If you want more margin — and on those 14.06% sections most riders will — step up to a 34×34 to keep your cadence alive without lurching into a survival grind. Given the climb starts at 1174 m in thinner air, err toward the easier ratio; the extra teeth cost nothing on the shallower stretches and pay off every time the road kicks.

Summary

La crocetta is a short but honest mountain climb: high-altitude, uneven, and defined by the gap between its steady average and its sharp maximum. Pace it to your threshold, gear it generously, and let the summit come to you.

Length: 7 km
Average gradient: 6.97%
Max gradient: 14.06%
Start: 1174 m
Summit: 1659 m
Net gain: 485 m
Total ascent: 460 m
Category: 2