Portella Sant'Anna

Overview

Portella Sant'Anna is a long haul rather than a wall. Over 20.7 km the road lifts you from 28 m at the base to 800 m at the summit, a net gain of 772 m. The average gradient of 3.73% sounds gentle on paper, and for long stretches it is — but that headline number hides a sting, because somewhere on the climb the road ramps to 13.39%. This is a category 2 effort: not the hors catégorie giants, but far more than a warm-up. The length alone means you cannot bluff your way up.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The maths tell the story of the shape. With 772 m of net gain but 765 m of total ascent recorded, this climb barely gives anything back — there is almost no downhill respite once you begin, just relentless upward progress. Average that gain across 20.7 km and you get 3.73%, but a climb never rises at its average. Long shallow drags in the low single digits are what let that 13.39% maximum exist without the average exploding. Expect the pattern of most long climbs: mellow lower slopes that lull you, a stiffening middle, and one or two sharp ramps where the road kicks toward that double-digit maximum before easing again toward the 800 m top. Read the gradient as a series of moods, not a single number.

Pacing Notes

On a climb this long, discipline beats bravado. Your FTP is the anchor: settle into a sustainable percentage of it on the shallow sections and resist the urge to chase. The 3.73% average is a power you can hold for the better part of an hour, but the 13.39% pitch will spike your effort well above threshold if you meet it in the wrong gear or the wrong headspace. Back off slightly before the steep ramps so you have room to absorb them, then recover on the flatter drags rather than attacking them. If you are unsure what number to target, run your recent efforts through the FTP estimator and pace to that. Twenty kilometres of climbing punishes anyone who goes out too hard in the first five.

Gearing

Because Portella Sant'Anna combines sustained duration with a 13.39% spike, gearing is about protecting your legs for the long middle, not just surviving one ramp. A compact chainring paired with a wide cassette is the sensible baseline. A 34×32 will carry most trained riders through the steep sections while keeping cadence civilised on the drags. If you tire late in long efforts, or you want insurance against that maximum gradient near the top, step up to a 34×34 — the extra sprocket costs you nothing on the flats and buys real comfort when fatigue meets the steepest pitch after 700 m of climbing.

Summary

Portella Sant'Anna rewards patience: a long, mostly steady ascent to 800 m with one genuinely steep bite to respect. Pace it by threshold, gear it generously, and let the 20.7 km come to you.

Length: 20.7 km
Average gradient: 3.73%
Max gradient: 13.39%
Start: 28 m
Summit: 800 m
Net gain: 772 m
Total ascent: 765 m
Category: 2