Pereval Gasforda

Overview

Pereval Gasforda is a compact but genuinely demanding category 2 climb. Over 5.2 km it lifts you from 651 m to a summit of 1069 m, a net gain of 418 m, and it does so without ever really easing off. The headline number is the average gradient of 8.07%, which is steep enough that there is nowhere to hide and nothing that resembles recovery built into the road. This is a climb defined by its consistency: not a savage single ramp, but a sustained effort that asks you to hold a hard tempo for the better part of half an hour or more, depending on your form.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The shape here is best understood through two numbers. The average sits at 8.07%, while the steepest pitch reaches 11.02%. That gap is relatively narrow, which tells you a lot: there is no long flat run-in to inflate the distance and no dramatic hairpin spike that towers over everything else. Instead, the road hovers close to its average for most of its length, with the gradient nudging up toward that 11.02% maximum on the harder pinches. The total ascent registers at 401 m against a net gain of 418 m, meaning the climb runs almost entirely uphill with virtually no false-flat or downhill sections to break rhythm. Expect a wall that stays a wall.

Pacing Notes

On a climb this uniform, pacing is everything. Because the gradient rarely dips, you cannot bank on soft-pedalling through easy stretches to recover from an overcooked start — there are none. The smart approach is to settle in just below your threshold and let the steeper pinches toward 11.02% pull you slightly over, rather than starting hot and detonating on the upper half. Knowing your FTP is the single most useful data point for a climb like this; it lets you translate the 8.07% average into a wattage you can actually hold for the full 5.2 km. If you have not tested recently, run your numbers through the FTP estimator before you plan your effort, then aim to sit just under that ceiling until the final ramps.

Gearing

With a sustained 8.07% average and pitches at 11.02%, gearing matters more than raw fitness for most riders. A compact chainring paired with a wide-range cassette is the sensible default. A 34×32 will get many trained riders up at a workable cadence, but on a climb this relentless the extra insurance of a 34×34 is well worth having — it keeps your cadence high enough to protect your legs across the full 418 m of climbing rather than grinding you into the road on the steeper sections. If you tend to over-gear on long efforts, choose the easier ratio and enjoy spinning rather than surviving.

Summary

Pereval Gasforda is a short, honest, uniformly steep test: 5.2 km at 8.07% with no meaningful respite. Gear low, pace to your threshold, and respect the fact that the road holds its steepness right to the 1069 m summit.

Length: 5.2 km
Average gradient: 8.07%
Max gradient: 11.02%
Start: 651 m
Summit: 1069 m
Net gain: 418 m
Total ascent: 401 m
Category: 2