Forcella della Croce di Tragonia

Overview

The Forcella della Croce di Tragonia is a serious category 1 climb: 15 km of continuous elevation from a start at 716 m to a summit of 1793 m. That is 1077 m of net vertical gain earned at a punishing 7.17% average gradient, with a total ascent of 1050 m once the minor undulations are smoothed out. This is not a climb that eases you in and rewards you later — it is a sustained, honest test where the average tells most of the story, and the 15.22% maximum warns you that the average hides some genuinely steep moments.

How the Gradient Unfolds

At 7.17% averaged across 15 km, the defining feature of this climb is consistency. There is nowhere to truly recover — no long false-flat to spin out the legs and let your heart rate settle. The gap between the 7.17% average and the 15.22% maximum is the number to respect: the steepest pitch is more than double the average, so expect ramps that briefly force you well over threshold before the road relents back toward that steady 7% baseline. Over 1050 m of total ascent, those spikes accumulate. Ride the climb as a single sustained effort punctuated by short surges, not as a series of separate segments.

Pacing Notes

Pacing a climb this long and this even comes down to discipline around your FTP. At 7.17% for 15 km, the smart approach is to settle just under threshold on the steady sections and accept short overshoots on the 15.22% ramps, rather than blowing the tank early and paying for it across the full 1077 m of gain. If you do not know your threshold power, estimate it first with the FTP estimator, then set a ceiling and hold it. On a climb with so little recovery terrain, going 20 watts too hard in the first third is the classic way to turn a strong ride into a survival crawl to 1793 m.

Gearing

With a 7.17% average sustained over 15 km and pitches touching 15.22%, gear for the long haul, not the flat. A compact 34-tooth inner chainring is essential. Paired with a 34×32, most riders will manage the steady gradient, but the 15.22% ramps late in a 1050 m ascent are where cadence collapses. If your legs will be tired or you value spinning over grinding, run a 34×34 — the extra sprocket buys you the cadence to protect your knees and keep power smooth all the way to the top. There is no shame in the easiest gear on a category 1 climb of this length.

Summary

The Forcella della Croce di Tragonia rewards even pacing and honest gearing. Respect the sustained 7.17% average, hold something back for the 15.22% ramps, and let the 1077 m of net gain come to you one steady kilometre at a time.

Length: 15 km
Average gradient: 7.17%
Max gradient: 15.22%
Start: 716 m
Summit: 1793 m
Net gain: 1077 m
Total ascent: 1050 m
Category: 1