Passo dei Porcelletti

Overview

Passo dei Porcelletti is a Category 1 climb that asks a serious question of your legs from the very first pedal stroke. Over 10.5 km it averages 8.12%, a figure that leaves almost nowhere to recover, and it drags you from a start elevation of 110 m up to a summit at 962 m. That is a net gain of 852 m, with 826 m of total ascent packed into a single sustained effort. There is no rolling introduction here — the road tilts up and stays there.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The defining trait of this climb is its consistency. With an average of 8.12% held across 10.5 km, there are no false flats to hide behind and no long descents to break the rhythm. The steepest ramp bites at 15.44%, nearly double the average, so even though the mean gradient is brutal on its own, the hardest pitches demand a real surge of power on top of an already high baseline.

Because net gain (852 m) sits just above total ascent (826 m), you can read the profile as almost pure climbing — the road gives back very little of what you earn. Expect the gradient to hover in the 7 to 9 percent band for long stretches, punctuated by sharper kicks toward that 15.44% maximum. Ration your matches for those spikes rather than burning them on the steady sections.

Pacing Notes

On a climb this uniform, pacing is everything. The smartest approach is to settle into a power target near your FTP and hold it, resisting the urge to chase the early gradient. At 8.12% average over 10.5 km, small overexertions compound quickly, and going into the red before halfway is the fastest way to blow up.

If you are not sure what number to anchor to, use the FTP estimator to set a realistic ceiling, then aim to ride just beneath it on the steady grades and allow brief efforts above it only on the 15.44% ramps. Climbing 852 m in one push rewards discipline far more than bravado.

Gearing

Bring easy gears. For a climb averaging 8.12% with pitches at 15.44%, most riders will want a compact setup as a minimum. A 34×32 is the sensible baseline, but on a Category 1 effort of this length, a 34×34 gives you the extra spin to keep cadence up when the road rears toward its maximum. If your knees or your endurance are in question, err toward the larger cassette — you will be glad of it in the final kilometres above 800 m of climbing, when fatigue makes every ramp feel steeper than the number suggests.

Summary

Passo dei Porcelletti is a pure test of sustained climbing: long, steep, and unrelenting from 110 m to 962 m. Pace it to your FTP, gear low, and respect the 15.44% spikes.

Length: 10.5 km
Average gradient: 8.12%
Max gradient: 15.44%
Start: 110 m
Summit: 962 m
Net gain: 852 m
Total ascent: 826 m
Category: 1