Selletta Damaggio

Overview

Selletta Damaggio is a full hors catégorie ascent, and the numbers leave no doubt about it. Over 24.8 km the road climbs from 237 m at its base to 2195 m at the summit, delivering 1958 m of net elevation gain against 1939 m of total ascent. That near-identical pair tells you something useful: this climb barely gives anything back. There are almost no descents to break the effort, so nearly every metre you gain, you keep. At an average gradient of 7.89% sustained across such a distance, this is a climb that rewards patience and punishes anyone who treats the early kilometres as free.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The headline average of 7.89% is honest but incomplete. With a maximum gradient of 18.57%, the road hides ramps more than twice as steep as the mean, and those spikes are where the climb bites. Because total ascent (1939 m) sits just below net gain (1958 m), the profile is relentlessly upward — you should not expect flat recovery shelves to soft-pedal on. Think of the ascent as a long, grinding staircase where the average holds you at 7.89% for hour after hour, punctuated by pitches climbing toward that 18.57% wall. Nearly 2000 m of vertical over 24.8 km means the air thins as you approach 2195 m, and effort that felt manageable near 237 m will feel heavier near the top.

Pacing Notes

On a climb this long, pacing is everything. The single biggest mistake is going out too hard on the lower slopes and blowing apart before the steepest ramps arrive. Anchor your effort to a percentage of your FTP rather than to feel — feel lies when you are fresh. For a sustained HC effort of roughly this length, riding just under threshold is the sensible target, leaving headroom to absorb the 18.57% pitches without cracking. If you are unsure of your number, run the FTP estimator before you commit to a plan. On the steepest ramps, let cadence drop and power spike briefly rather than surging — then settle back to your steady number once the gradient eases toward the 7.89% average.

Gearing

Gear for the max, not the average. A compact 34-tooth inner chainring is the starting point, and the question is what you pair it with at the back. A 34×32 is the minimum I would bring here; it will get most fit riders up the 7.89% stretches at a workable cadence, but the 18.57% ramps will have you grinding. If you have any doubt about your climbing legs, or you want to protect them across the full 24.8 km, fit a 34×34. That extra sprocket buys you cadence exactly where the 1958 m of accumulated gain has already emptied your legs. On an HC climb topping out at 2195 m, easier gearing is not weakness — it is smart insurance.

Summary

Selletta Damaggio is a genuine HC test: long, steep, and unforgiving from the 237 m base to the 2195 m summit. Bring easy gears, a disciplined pacing plan, and respect for the 18.57% ramps hiding inside that 7.89% average.

Length: 24.8 km
Average gradient: 7.89%
Max gradient: 18.57%
Start: 237 m
Summit: 2195 m
Net gain: 1958 m
Total ascent: 1939 m
Category: HC