Colle Le Funze

Overview

Colle Le Funze is a short, ferociously steep climb that packs a category 1 rating into just 6.6 km. From a start elevation of 584 m it drags you up to a summit of 1273 m, a net gain of 689 m across a road that almost never lets the gradient drop back to a number you would call comfortable. The headline average is a brutal 10.51%, and the maximum touches 27.5% — a ramp steep enough to overwhelm the wrong gear in a single crank rotation. This is a climb defined by its density: there is no long valley run-in built into these figures, just concentrated, sustained vertical.

How the Gradient Unfolds

With an average of 10.51% over 6.6 km, Le Funze offers no genuine recovery. Even the "easy" sections here sit at gradients that would be a climb's crux elsewhere. The story is written in the gap between the average and the max: a 27.5% pitch is more than double the mean, which tells you the road ratchets sharply upward in places rather than settling into a metronomic grind. Expect the steepest ramps to arrive without much warning and to punish anyone who has already spent their reserves. The net elevation gain of 689 m against a total ascent of 663 m confirms the profile climbs relentlessly upward with only trivial dips — this is essentially one long, uninterrupted push to the top.

Pacing Notes

On a climb this steep and this short, pacing is everything. The temptation is to attack the lower slopes, but with 6.6 km still to burn at 10.51%, going into the red early on Le Funze is a one-way ticket to a walk. Anchor your effort to your FTP and treat the first two-thirds as a controlled tempo, holding a little in reserve for the 27.5% ramps that can spike your power far above threshold in seconds. If you do not know your threshold number, run it through the FTP estimator before you commit, then set a ceiling you refuse to exceed until the gradient eases. On pitches this severe, cadence collapses and every surge costs double — smooth, seated, sustainable power will get you to 1273 m faster than heroics.

Gearing

Do not under-gear this one. With sustained double-digit percentages and a 27.5% maximum, most riders will want the largest cassette they can fit. A compact 34-tooth chainring paired with a 34×32 is the sensible floor for strong climbers, but on a wall averaging 10.51% over 6.6 km, a 34×34 gives you the extra spin to keep the pedals turning through the worst ramps without stalling. If your setup allows an even easier ratio, use it — surviving 689 m of net gain here is about protecting your knees and your cadence, not proving a point.

Summary

Colle Le Funze is a compact monster: not long, but savage from bottom to top, with an average that rarely relents and a peak ramp that can stop you dead. Respect the gradient, gear low, and pace to your threshold, and the 689 m of climbing to 1273 m becomes a memorable challenge rather than a defeat.

Length: 6.6 km
Average gradient: 10.51%
Max gradient: 27.5%
Start: 584 m
Summit: 1273 m
Net gain: 689 m
Total ascent: 663 m
Category: 1