Portella della Paglia

Overview

Portella della Paglia is a long, patient category-2 climb that trades brutality for endurance. Over 20.4 km it lifts you from a near-sea-level start of 18 m to a summit at 799 m, a net gain of 781 m. The headline figure is the average gradient: just 3.84%. That number tells you almost everything about the character of this ascent. This is not a wall you attack; it is a distance you manage. The category-2 rating here is earned through sheer length rather than steepness, and the pace you choose in the first quarter will define how the final kilometres feel.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The gap between the 3.84% average and the 10.9% maximum is the real story. A climb that averages under 4% but touches nearly 11% cannot be uniform — those steeper pitches are balanced somewhere by shallow, almost-flat sections and possibly brief false-flat recovery. Expect the slope to breathe: ramps that bite into double digits followed by long stretches where the road relents and you can spin freely. The total ascent of 774 m sits just below the 781 m net gain — a difference of only 7 m — which tells you there is essentially no descending on the way up. Every metre of vertical you earn, you keep. That makes the effort relentless in the sense that you rarely coast, even if you rarely suffer.

Pacing Notes

On a climb this long, discipline beats aggression. Anchor your effort to sustainable power rather than the number on the gradient display. Riding at or slightly below your FTP on the shallow sections keeps a reserve for the pitches that spike toward 10.9%, where holding position costs far more than the average suggests. If you do not know your threshold yet, run the numbers through the FTP estimator before you go — pacing 20.4 km blind is how riders blow up two-thirds of the way to 799 m. Settle into a rhythm early, keep your cadence smooth on the steep ramps, and treat the flatter stretches as active recovery, not opportunities to surge.

Gearing

Because the summit sits at 799 m after a 20.4 km grind, fatigue — not gradient alone — dictates your gearing. The 10.9% maximum is manageable fresh, but it arrives deep into the climb when your legs are already loaded. A compact 34-tooth chainring paired with a 34×32 cassette gives most riders enough range to keep cadence high on the ramps. If you climb at lower power or want insurance for the back half, size up to a 34×34. The wider ratio costs you nothing on the shallow sections and buys real comfort on the steep pitches, letting you spin rather than grind toward the top.

Summary

Portella della Paglia rewards patience: a long category-2 ascent that lets you settle in, manage your effort across 20.4 km, and enjoy a summit that feels genuinely earned. Pace it honestly, gear for fatigue, and the 3.84% average will carry you home.

Length: 20.4 km
Average gradient: 3.84%
Max gradient: 10.9%
Start: 18 m
Summit: 799 m
Net gain: 781 m
Total ascent: 774 m
Category: 2