Passo della Colma

Overview

Passo della Colma is a Category 3 climb in Italy that runs 21.4 km from a start elevation of 289 m to a summit of 908 m. On paper it is a long, moderate ascent: the net elevation gain is 619 m, giving an average gradient of 2.9%. That number frames it as an approachable, tempo-friendly climb rather than a wall.

The average is misleading, though. While the net gain is 619 m, the total ascent over the 21.4 km is 1397 m — a difference of 778 m. That gap means the road repeatedly climbs and drops rather than rising cleanly. You pay for those 778 extra metres of vertical, then give a chunk of it back on the descents that separate each rise. Plan your effort around 1397 m of climbing, not 619.

How the Gradient Unfolds

A 2.9% average tells you almost nothing about how this climb actually feels. The undulating profile means long flat and downhill stretches drag the average down, while the working sections are meaningfully steeper. The steepest ramp is far harsher than the average implies.

• Flatter and recovery sections where the road eases or descends, letting the average sit low
• Repeated short climbs stacked back to back, which is where the 778 m of extra ascent accumulates
• A steep pitch that spikes well above the 2.9% average — hold reserves for it

Pacing Notes

On an undulating climb like this, even-effort and even-speed pacing diverge sharply. Chasing a constant speed forces you to spike hard on every riser and coast the descents, spiking your fatigue. Instead, hold a steady, sustainable power output across the ramps and let your speed rise and fall with the terrain — push a touch on the steep pitches, soft-pedal the descents to recover.

Anchor that target to a tested number rather than feel. Use the FTP estimator to set a ceiling you can hold across all 21.4 km, and resist the urge to bury yourself on early ramps when 1397 m of total ascent still lies ahead.

Gearing

Gearing here is governed by the steepest ramp, not the gentle average. A 2.9% mean would tempt you toward tight ratios, but the steep pitch demands headroom. Run a compact or sub-compact chainset paired with a wide-range cassette — a 34×32 or 34×34 low gear keeps your cadence up through the hardest sections without grinding. Check your actual setup before the ride; discovering you are over-geared halfway up a steep ramp is a mistake you cannot fix on the road.

Summary

• Length: 21.4 km
• Average gradient: 2.9%
• Net elevation gain: 619 m
• Total ascent: 1397 m
• Category: 3

Passo della Colma rewards riders who read past the average. Treat it as 1397 m of stacked, undulating climbing, pace to a sustainable ceiling, and gear for the steep ramp rather than the gentle mean.