Portella Croce di Cumia

Overview

Portella Croce di Cumia is a serious day out: 13.2 km of near-continuous climbing that lifts you from a start elevation of just 33 m up to a summit at 844 m. That works out to a net elevation gain of 811 m and a total ascent of 800 m, meaning almost every metre you gain, you keep — this is not a rolling road with false flats to recover on. At an average gradient of 6.14% and a maximum pitch touching 11.76%, it earns its category 1 rating (only hors catégorie sits above it). Expect a climb that rewards patience early and punishes anyone who spends too much too soon.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The headline number to respect is the spread between the 6.14% average and the 11.76% maximum. That gap tells you the road is not evenly graded: stretches sit right around the average, while sharper ramps spike well above it. Because the net gain of 811 m nearly matches the 800 m of total ascent, there is very little descending mixed in — the climb keeps pointing upward for essentially all of its 13.2 km. Practically, that means no free recovery. The steepest sections, approaching 11.76%, will feel disproportionately hard late in the effort when your legs are already loaded from the sustained 6.14% grind that came before.

Pacing Notes

Treat this as a threshold effort managed from the bottom. Your FTP is the number to anchor to: on a climb of this length, most riders will want to settle just under threshold and hold it, saving a little in reserve for the 11.76% ramps. If you do not know your threshold, run the numbers first with the FTP estimator so your pacing target is grounded rather than guessed.

The mistake here is starting near the base — where the road is already climbing from 33 m — with too much enthusiasm. Over 13.2 km at 6.14%, a pace that feels comfortable in the first two kilometres can become unsustainable well before the 844 m summit. Meter your effort, breathe the steady sections, and let the gradient come to you.

Gearing

For a 13.2 km climb averaging 6.14% with pitches to 11.76%, gear for the steep bits, not the average. A compact 34-tooth chainring paired with a 34×32 cassette is a sensible baseline for strong climbers, giving you a usable spin on the sustained grade. If you are carrying fatigue, riding at a lower threshold, or simply prefer to keep cadence high on the ramps near 11.76%, step up to a 34×34. The extra range costs you nothing on the flatter approaches and buys real insurance when the road bites late in the ascent.

Summary

Portella Croce di Cumia is a genuine category 1 test: long, steady, and topped with ramps that demand respect. Pace it from your threshold, gear for the steepest pitches, and the 811 m of climbing becomes a rhythm rather than a wall.

Length: 13.2 km
Average gradient: 6.14%
Max gradient: 11.76%
Start: 33 m
Summit: 844 m
Net gain: 811 m
Total ascent: 800 m
Category: 1