Passo di Quadrella

Overview

Passo di Quadrella is the kind of climb that earns its HC label the honest way: with length, sustained steepness, and a peak ramp that leaves no doubt. Over 19.2 km the road rises from 378 m at its base to 1792 m at the summit, a net gain of 1414 m, with total ascent measured at 1402 m. The average gradient of 7.37% understates the experience, because a 22.38% maximum pitch lurks somewhere in those kilometres to remind you this is hors catégorie — the hardest classification there is, above categories 1 through 4.

How the Gradient Unfolds

Think of this climb as a long, relentless conversation with gravity rather than a single knockout blow. A 7.37% average sustained across 19.2 km means there is almost nowhere to properly recover; the road simply keeps tilting upward. The small gap between net elevation gain (1414 m) and total ascent (1402 m) tells you something useful — there is very little false flat or descending to break the rhythm. What goes up mostly stays up. The 22.38% maximum is the shape's defining feature: a spike more than three times the average, the sort of pitch that forces you out of the saddle and rewrites your pacing plan in a single moment. Everything before it should be ridden with that ramp in mind.

Pacing Notes

On a climb this long, discipline beats bravado. The winning move is to settle into a sustainable effort early and hold it, treating the full 19.2 km as one continuous block rather than a series of surges. A good anchor is your FTP — riding the bulk of the climb just under threshold leaves headroom for the steepest sections, especially that 22.38% ramp, without blowing your legs before the summit at 1792 m. If you are not sure what your threshold is, run your numbers through the FTP estimator before you attempt it. Bank matches for the pitches that demand them; on Quadrella the gradient does the attacking, so let it, and answer only when you must.

Gearing

With 1414 m to climb at 7.37% and spikes toward 22.38%, gear low and gear generously. A compact 34-tooth chainring is the sensible starting point for the front. For the cassette, a 34×32 combination will get most fit riders up the sustained sections, but the steepest ramps are where regret lives — if your legs or your loaded bike leave any doubt, step up to a 34×34 for a genuine bailout gear. On an HC climb of this length, the extra sprockets are not a luxury; they are what keep your cadence high enough to protect your legs across all 19.2 km.

Summary

Passo di Quadrella is a full-value HC climb: long, steep, and unforgiving, with a maximum pitch that demands respect and gearing that plans for it. Pace it with your threshold in mind, spin low through the ramps, and let the 1414 m of climbing come to you.

Length: 19.2 km
Average gradient: 7.37%
Max gradient: 22.38%
Start: 378 m
Summit: 1792 m
Net gain: 1414 m
Total ascent: 1402 m
Category: HC