Tre Cancelli

Overview

Tre Cancelli is a long, steady-tempo climb that rewards patience over punch. Over its full 15.5 km it averages 4.14% and lifts you from a 270 m start to a 910 m summit — a net gain of 640 m, with 651 m of total ascent once the small dips and false flats are counted. That gap between net gain and total ascent tells you something important before you even turn a pedal: this is not a relentless wall but a rolling, variable ascent. As a category 2 climb it sits in the middle of the difficulty scale (below HC and category 1, above the shorter category 3 and 4 efforts), which is exactly what the numbers describe — sustained enough to hurt, gentle enough on average to invite overcooking.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The headline average of 4.14% is deceptively mild. With a maximum gradient of 9.07%, the climb clearly hides steeper ramps behind that friendly mean. Because total ascent (651 m) exceeds net gain (640 m) by 11 m, there are short reprieves — brief descents or flatter shelves — scattered through the 15.5 km. The practical read is a climb of two personalities: long stretches sitting near or just below the 4.14% average, punctuated by pitches climbing toward that 9.07% peak. Those steeper kicks are where riders who paced by feel rather than by number tend to blow up. Treat the shallow sections as recovery and the ramps as the real test.

Pacing Notes

On a climb this length, pacing is everything. Anchor your effort to a percentage of your FTP rather than to how the gradient feels moment to moment — the 9.07% ramps will tempt you to surge, and the flatter shelves will tempt you to slack. For a 15.5 km effort, most riders hold a sustainable tempo just under threshold, saving a little headroom for the steep pitches so they don't spike into the red. If you don't know your threshold, run the numbers through the FTP estimator first, then set a target power you can defend across all 640 m of climbing. The goal is to crest the 910 m summit having spent evenly, not to win the lower slopes and crawl the top.

Gearing

Given the 15.5 km length and ramps toward 9.07%, gear for the steep bits, not the average. A compact 34-tooth inner chainring paired with a 34×32 low is a sensible baseline for strong riders who can turn a bigger gear on the 4.14% mean. If you'd rather spin than grind — or you're tackling this late in a long day — step up to a 34×34 for extra range on the steepest pitches. The spare cog keeps your cadence high and your knees happy across a 640 m gain, which matters more than raw strength when the climb keeps going.

Summary

Tre Cancelli is a long, honest category 2 climb: mostly moderate, occasionally sharp, and best ridden to a number rather than a feeling. Pace it evenly, gear for the ramps, and the 910 m summit comes without drama.

Length: 15.5 km
Average gradient: 4.14%
Max gradient: 9.07%
Start: 270 m
Summit: 910 m
Net gain: 640 m
Total ascent: 651 m
Category: 2