Selletta Del Groviglio

Overview

Selletta Del Groviglio is a hors catégorie (HC) climb, the hardest tier before anything else on the scale, and it earns the label without ambiguity. Over 24.8 km the road lifts you from a valley floor at 232 m to a summit of 2091 m — a net elevation gain of 1859 m at an average gradient of 7.49%. The total ascent registers 1847 m, a hair under the net figure, which tells you almost every metre is climbing with only the faintest give-back along the way. This is not a climb you attack; it is one you survive by managing effort across the better part of an hour or more in the saddle.

How the Gradient Unfolds

A 7.49% average across 24.8 km is punishing precisely because it rarely relents. With total ascent of 1847 m sitting just 12 m below the 1859 m of net gain, there is essentially no descending or flat recovery baked into the route — what goes up stays up. The steepest pitches bite at 16%, more than double the average, so the difficulty is not evenly spread. Expect the road to sit around its 7.49% mean for long stretches and then spike toward that 16% ceiling, an 8.51-point jump above average that will shred any pacing you have not planned for. The shape here is relentless middle with sharp teeth rather than a single wall.

Pacing Notes

Discipline wins this climb. At 24.8 km, riding above your sustainable ceiling early guarantees a collapse before the summit. Anchor your effort to your FTP and hold a wattage you can defend for the full duration — on a 7.49% average that means climbing several percent below threshold on the shallower sections so you have headroom when the gradient rears toward 16%. If you do not know your current threshold, run the numbers through the FTP estimator before you commit to a target. Fuel and drink on the mellower ramps, because the steep pitches leave no room to eat.

Gearing

Gear for survival, not pride. On an HC climb of 24.8 km averaging 7.49% with ramps to 16%, most riders will want more range than a standard road setup offers. A compact 34-tooth chainring is the sensible front. For the cassette, a 34×32 is the minimum I would suggest, and it will feel tight when the gradient hits 16% late in the climb with tired legs. If your frame and derailleur can accommodate it, step up to a 34×34 — that extra cog buys you a cadence you can actually turn over on the steepest sections, which protects both your knees and your remaining matches for the summit.

Summary

Selletta Del Groviglio is a full-length HC test: 24.8 km of near-continuous climbing at 7.49%, spiking to 16%, delivering 1859 m of net gain to a 2091 m summit. Pace it by FTP, gear low, and respect the distance.

Length: 24.8 km
Average gradient: 7.49%
Max gradient: 16%
Start: 232 m
Summit: 2091 m
Net gain: 1859 m
Total ascent: 1847 m
Category: HC