Colla di Casotto

Overview

Colla di Casotto is a Category 1 climb in Italy, running 10.8km from a start elevation of 575m to a summit at 1,388m. Its net elevation gain is 813m, and it holds an average gradient of 7.56% across its full length. On paper, that pairing of length and average places it firmly among the harder cataloged ascents.

The important detail is the gap between the net elevation gain of 813m and the total ascent of 1,115m. That 302m difference means the road does not climb cleanly: you gain and give back elevation repeatedly on the way up. Every meter of that regained height is a meter you have to climb twice, so the effort you actually spend exceeds what the net figure implies. Treat this as a climb of 1,115m of upward work, not 813m.

How the Gradient Unfolds

A 7.56% average is a summary, not a description. On an undulating road with 302m of built-in re-ascent, the average is dragged down by flatter or descending sections, which means the climbing pitches must be steeper than 7.56% to compensate. Expect real variance rather than a steady wall.

• Flatter or descending recovery sections that account for the gap between net gain and total ascent
• Repeated short climbs stacked between those recoveries, each demanding a fresh surge of effort
• A steepest ramp reaching up to 18.87%, well above the average and enough to force a hard gear change

Pacing Notes

On a smooth, constant-gradient climb, even-effort and even-speed pacing nearly converge. Here they do not. Because the road undulates, chasing an even speed will spike your power on every steep ramp and waste it on the descents. Anchor instead to even effort, holding a target close to your sustainable power output and letting your speed rise and fall with the terrain. Let the flatter sections be genuine recovery rather than an excuse to accelerate. If you do not know your current threshold, run the FTP estimator first so your target number reflects reality.

Gearing

Your gearing should be chosen for the steepest pitch, not the average. With ramps reaching 18.87%, gear for survival at the top of the effort. A compact (50/34) or sub-compact chainset paired with a wide-range cassette such as 34×32 or 34×34 gives you a low enough ratio to spin the steep sections without cracking. Check your setup before the ride: confirm the cassette fits your derailleur and that the low gear is actually installed. Discovering you are over-geared halfway up an 18% ramp is not the place to find out.

Summary

• Length: 10.8 km
• Average gradient: 7.56%
• Maximum gradient: 18.87%
• Net elevation gain: 813 m
• Total ascent: 1,115 m
• Category: 1

Colla di Casotto rewards riders who respect the 302m of hidden re-ascent and pace to effort rather than speed. Gear conservatively, meter your threshold, and let the undulations dictate your rhythm rather than fighting them.