Sella Ursic / Čez Stože

Overview

Sella Ursic, also known as Čez Stože, is a Category 1 climb that demands respect from the first pedal stroke. Over 10.2 km it climbs from a start elevation of 517 m to a summit at 1294 m, giving a net elevation gain of 777 m and a total ascent of 758 m. The average gradient of 7.6% never lets you settle, and a maximum pitch of 16.92% guarantees at least one moment where the road tilts almost vertical. This is a sustained, honest climb: long enough to hurt, steep enough to matter, and unforgiving enough to earn its Cat 1 rating.

How the Gradient Unfolds

A 7.6% average across 10.2 km tells you the story is one of relentless consistency rather than gentle false flats. There is nowhere to truly recover here. With a max of 16.92% — more than double the average — the climb hides at least one brutal ramp that spikes well above the sustainable pace. Expect the road to pulse: long stretches sitting close to that 7.6% mean, punctuated by pitches that surge toward and beyond double digits. The gap between the 758 m total ascent and the 777 m net gain is small, confirming there is almost no descending to break the rhythm. What goes up, stays up.

Pacing Notes

On a climb this sustained, pacing discipline is everything. Anchor your effort to your FTP and resist the urge to chase the early gradient. At 10.2 km, going into the red before the halfway mark will cost you far more than a conservative start ever will. Ride the 7.6% sections just under threshold so you have headroom for the 16.92% ramp — that spike will force a surge no matter how smooth you try to be. If you don't know your threshold number yet, run the FTP estimator before you attempt this one, then set a wattage ceiling and hold it. Steady power beats heroics over 777 m of climbing.

Gearing

Do not undergear this climb. The 16.92% max pitch will punish anyone spinning out of comfortable ratios. A compact chainset paired with a wide-range cassette is the sensible baseline: a 34×32 will get most riders up the sustained 7.6% sections, but on the steepest ramp toward 16.92% you will be grateful for lower. For anyone carrying fatigue, riding at a lighter FTP, or simply wanting to protect their knees on a 10.2 km effort, step up to a 34×34. The extra sprocket keeps your cadence alive when the gradient bites, and on a Cat 1 climb, cadence preservation is the difference between riding and grinding to a halt.

Summary

Sella Ursic / Čez Stože is a proper Cat 1 test: long, steady, and genuinely steep in the wrong places. Respect the 7.6% average, prepare for the 16.92% spike, gear low, and pace to your threshold. Do that, and the 1294 m summit is yours.

Length: 10.2 km
Average gradient: 7.6%
Max gradient: 16.92%
Start: 517 m
Summit: 1294 m
Net gain: 777 m
Total ascent: 758 m
Category: 1