Sella di Monte Cocca

Overview

Sella di Monte Cocca is a hors catégorie climb, and the numbers explain the rating without any need for embellishment. Over 15.6 km the road lifts you from 59 m to 1348 m, a net gain of 1289 m at an average of 8.25%. That average alone would earn respect on any climb list, but the story here is the max: a brutal 30.85% ramp that turns one section from a hard effort into a full-body struggle. With 1177 m of total ascent packed into the run, there is very little relief. This is a climb you commit to at the bottom and simply endure to the top.

How the Gradient Unfolds

An 8.25% average across 15.6 km means the road rarely dips into easy territory. If the climb held perfectly steady you would gain roughly 82 m of height for every kilometre, and much of Sella di Monte Cocca does exactly that — a relentless, grinding pitch that never lets your legs recover. But the 30.85% max tells you the profile is not uniform. Somewhere on the ascent the road bites down to nearly four times the average, and that single wall dictates how you approach everything before and after it. The gap between the summit at 1348 m and the total ascent of 1177 m confirms the road climbs steadily rather than rolling — you are almost always going up.

Pacing Notes

On a climb this long and this steep, pacing is the difference between finishing strong and cracking early. Anchor your effort to your FTP and refuse to chase the gradient — on the 30.85% ramp your power will spike whether you like it or not, so bank patience everywhere else. Ride the sustained 8.25% sections just under threshold, then accept that the steepest wall will briefly push you well over it; there is no way around that. If you are unsure of your numbers, run them through the FTP estimator before you commit to a target. With 1289 m of net gain ahead, a rider who starts two percent too hot will pay for it long before the 1348 m summit.

Gearing

Do not under-gear this one. For a 15.6 km climb averaging 8.25% with a 30.85% maximum, most riders will want the lowest ratio they can bolt on. A 34×32 is the sensible floor for strong climbers, but given that wall, 34×34 is the smarter choice for almost everyone — the extra range is what keeps your cadence survivable when the road tips past 30%. If your bike accepts a wider cassette, take it. On Sella di Monte Cocca, spare gears are never wasted.

Summary

Sella di Monte Cocca is an HC climb that respects nobody: 15.6 km, 8.25% average, and a 30.85% maximum that stands guard over 1289 m of vertical. Pace it to your threshold, gear low, and treat the summit as a reward earned metre by metre.

Length: 15.6 km
Average gradient: 8.25%
Max gradient: 30.85%
Start: 59 m
Summit: 1348 m
Net gain: 1289 m
Total ascent: 1177 m
Category: HC