Centocroci Pass

Overview

Centocroci Pass is a category-2 climb that rewards rhythm over raw power. Over 15.3 km it lifts you from a valley floor at 285 m to a summit of 1059 m, a net gain of 774 m. The average gradient sits at a friendly-sounding 5.06%, but the length is the real test: this is a climb you settle into for the better part of an hour, not one you attack in bursts. With a max pitch of 9.65%, it never becomes a wall, yet it asks for sustained, honest effort from bottom to top.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The defining number here is the gap between average and maximum. A 5.06% mean paired with a 9.65% peak tells you the climb is not uniform — expect stretches that dip well below the average to balance the steeper ramps. The total ascent of 765 m sits just under the 774 m net gain, meaning the road climbs almost continuously with only trivial descending. There are no false valleys to recover in, so the challenge is managing a long, mostly-consistent grade rather than surviving isolated spikes. Treat the steepest 9.65% sections as brief interruptions to an otherwise metronomic 5% rhythm.

Pacing Notes

Because the effort is long and steady, pace it to your sustainable threshold rather than to feel. Aim to hold a power just below your FTP for the full 15.3 km — going into the red early on a climb this length is punished severely over the remaining kilometres. If you don't know your threshold number, run it through the FTP estimator before you plan a target. On the 9.65% pitches, let cadence drop slightly and hold power steady rather than surging; on the flatter sections that pull the average down to 5.06%, resist the urge to hammer — use them to recover so you arrive at each ramp fresh.

Gearing

For a 15.3 km climb averaging 5.06% with ramps to 9.65%, most riders will want a compact chainset paired with a wide-range cassette. A 34×32 is the sensible baseline and will get most fit riders over the top while keeping cadence in a comfortable range on the steeper pitches. If you climb at lower cadences, carry extra weight, or simply want insurance for the 9.65% sections late in the ascent when fatigue bites, step up to a 34×34. The extra sprocket costs you nothing on the shallower gradients and buys real comfort where the road kicks up.

Summary

Centocroci Pass is a classic long category-2 effort: 15.3 km of mostly-steady climbing at 5.06%, with enough variation and a 9.65% high point to keep you honest. Pace it to threshold, gear low enough to spin, and it becomes a deeply satisfying tempo climb rather than a suffer-fest.

Length: 15.3 km
Average gradient: 5.06%
Max gradient: 9.65%
Start: 285 m
Summit: 1059 m
Net gain: 774 m
Total ascent: 765 m
Category: 2