Sella di Balisio

Overview

Sella di Balisio is a 9.2 km category 2 climb that gains 535 m of net elevation, lifting you from a start at 198 m to a summit of 733 m. The average gradient sits at 5.79%, which places it firmly in the sustained-tempo range rather than the wall-to-wall suffering of an HC monster. It is long enough to reward patience and steep enough in places to punish an overcooked start. With a total ascent of 521 m recorded over its length, the road does the honest thing: it goes up, and it keeps going up.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The headline number is that 5.79% average, but the climb has more texture than a single figure suggests. Set against a maximum gradient of 14%, the spread between the mean and the peak tells you there are ramps well above the average waiting somewhere along the 9.2 km. That difference — roughly eight points between the 5.79% you feel most of the way and the 14% you meet at the worst pinch — is exactly where the climb bites. Expect long stretches at or near the average that let you find a rhythm, punctuated by short sharper kicks. A useful way to read it: over 9.2 km you climb 535 m in net terms, so on any easier section the road is banking gradient it will demand back later on the steeper pitches.

Pacing Notes

Because the climb is more about consistency than raw steepness, pacing to your FTP is the smart play. Ride the opening kilometres a touch under threshold so you have headroom when the gradient rears toward that 14% maximum. If you do not know your current threshold, run the numbers through the FTP estimator before you commit to a target. On a climb of this shape, holding a steady power just below threshold across the full 9.2 km will beat surging on the flatter ramps and blowing up on the steep ones. Aim to arrive at the 733 m summit having spent evenly, not in a series of desperate accelerations.

Gearing

For a 9.2 km climb averaging 5.79% with pitches to 14%, give yourself a bailout gear. A compact 34-tooth chainring paired with a wide-range cassette is the sensible foundation. A 34×32 will cover most riders comfortably through the sustained sections, but for the steepest ramp toward that 14% maximum — especially late in the climb once the 535 m of gain has accumulated in your legs — a 34×34 buys you the extra spin to keep cadence up and torque down. If you tend to grind, err toward the 34×34; your knees will thank you over the final metres to 733 m.

Summary

Sella di Balisio is a fair, sustained category 2 test: 9.2 km, 5.79% on average, one 14% sting, and 535 m of net climbing to a 733 m summit. Pace it evenly, gear it generously, and it rewards you.

Length: 9.2 km
Average gradient: 5.79%
Max gradient: 14%
Start: 198 m
Summit: 733 m
Net gain: 535 m
Total ascent: 521 m
Category: 2