Colle della Rionda

Overview

Colle della Rionda is a Category 1 climb that asks a serious, sustained effort of your legs. Over 14.3 km the road rises from a start elevation of just 13 m to a summit at 1036 m, a net gain of 1023 m. That works out to an average gradient of 7.17%, and unlike gentler climbs that hide their difficulty behind flat spells, the Rionda holds close to that number for most of its length. The total ascent of 1007 m confirms there is very little respite built into the profile — you climb almost every metre you pay for.

For most riders this is a 45-minute-plus commitment, and the combination of length and consistent pitch is what earns the Category 1 label. It sits one rung below hors catégorie, and it rides like it.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The defining feature of Colle della Rionda is consistency. With a 7.17% average stretched over 14.3 km, the climb never rolls out an easy warm-up or a false flat where you can recover. The steepest recorded ramp reaches 12.56%, so while the average is demanding, the hardest pitches nearly double it. Expect the road to lean into that maximum on the tighter sections, then settle back toward the mid-7% band that defines the bulk of the ascent.

Because net gain (1023 m) and total ascent (1007 m) are so close, there is essentially no descending inside the climb. Every kilometre is spent going up, which shapes how the effort accumulates — fatigue is linear here, not spiky.

Pacing Notes

On a climb this even, discipline beats aggression. The smartest approach is to anchor your effort to a percentage of your FTP and hold it steady rather than surging on the ramps toward 12.56% and blowing up before the 1036 m summit. Ride the steep sections a touch under your target and let the flatter stretches — relatively speaking — bring your average power back up.

If you are unsure what wattage you can sustain for a 14.3 km climb, run the numbers through the FTP estimator first. Knowing your sustainable ceiling turns 1023 m of climbing from a guessing game into a paced, repeatable effort.

Gearing

With an average of 7.17% and maximum pitches of 12.56% over 14.3 km, gearing is where many riders under-prepare. A compact 34-tooth chainring is the sensible foundation. Pair it with a 34×32 for the low end if you are strong and comfortable spinning under load — that gives enough range to keep cadence up through the steeper ramps. If you would rather protect your legs across the full 1023 m of gain, drop to a 34×34, which buys you extra breathing room on the 12.56% sections without forcing you to grind. On a sustained Category 1 climb, the wider ratio almost always pays off.

Summary

Colle della Rionda is a textbook sustained Category 1 climb: long, consistent, and unrelenting from the 13 m base to the 1036 m top. Pace it to your FTP, gear low, and respect the fact that almost all of its 1007 m total ascent is genuine climbing.

Length: 14.3 km
Average gradient: 7.17%
Max gradient: 12.56%
Start: 13 m
Summit: 1036 m
Net gain: 1023 m
Total ascent: 1007 m
Category: 1