Passo della Borcola

Overview

Passo della Borcola is a category 1 climb that asks a real, sustained effort without ever tipping into the brutal, wall-like territory of the hardest passes. Over 19 km it lifts you from a valley floor at 207 m to a summit of 1223 m, a net gain of 1016 m. Because the profile has no meaningful descents, that net figure matches the total ascent of 1016 m exactly — every metre you earn, you keep. The average gradient of 5.34% is honest and rhythmic, the kind of slope you can settle into, but a maximum of 13.95% means there are moments that will spike your heart rate and test whether you paced the early kilometres correctly.

How the Gradient Unfolds

Think of the Borcola as a long, steady staircase with a few sharp steps. At 5.34% on average across 19 km, the bulk of the climb sits in that comfortable-but-relentless band where you are always working, never resting. The danger is the gap between that average and the 13.95% maximum. Ramps nearly three times steeper than the mean don't just hurt in the moment — they force surges that burn matches you'll want later. With over a thousand metres of vertical to absorb, the climb rewards riders who treat the average as their true speed and the steep pitches as brief, temporary interruptions rather than efforts worth chasing.

Pacing Notes

The Borcola is long enough that pacing discipline decides your day. Anchor your effort to a percentage of your FTP and hold it steady through the moderate sections, letting the gradient — not your ego — dictate output. On a 19 km climb, going out even slightly too hard in the first few kilometres compounds badly by the top. If you're unsure what number to target, run the numbers through the FTP estimator first and build your climb around a sustainable ceiling. When the slope kicks toward 13.95%, accept a small, controlled increase in power rather than trying to hold speed — spin through it and let your cadence recover once the road eases back to the average.

Gearing

With 1016 m of climbing over 19 km and pitches reaching 13.95%, gear generously — you will thank yourself in the final third. A compact 34-tooth inner ring paired with a wide-range cassette is the sensible baseline here. A 34×32 gives most riders enough range to keep a comfortable cadence through the 5.34% average, but for the steepest ramps, or if you weigh in on the heavier side or simply want to protect your legs on a climb this long, step up to a 34×34. The extra sprocket buys you the spin you need to sit and turn rather than grind out of the saddle when the gradient bites.

Summary

Passo della Borcola is a properly satisfying category 1 climb: long, steady, and shaped so that smart pacing beats raw strength. Respect the 13.95% pitches, gear for the full 19 km, and let the honest 5.34% average carry you to a hard-earned 1016 m of vertical.

Length: 19 km
Average gradient: 5.34%
Max gradient: 13.95%
Start: 207 m
Summit: 1223 m
Net gain: 1016 m
Total ascent: 1016 m
Category: 1