Sella di Casaselvatica

Overview

Sella di Casaselvatica is a Category 1 climb that asks for patience before it asks for power. Over 14.7 km it lifts you from a valley floor at 137 m to a summit of 909 m, a net gain of 772 m at an average gradient of 5.27%. On paper that average reads as steady tempo territory, and for long stretches it is — but the 11.04% maximum tells you the road does not stay obliging the whole way. A climb of this length rarely rewards a fast start; the smarter riders treat the early kilometres as a warm-up and save something for the sections that bite.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The headline number to hold in your mind is the gap between the 5.27% average and the 11.04% max. That spread of nearly six percentage points means the effort is uneven: mellow ramps and false flats are offset by pitches that roughly double the average. Notice too that the total ascent, 756 m, sits just under the net elevation gain of 772 m — a difference of 16 m. That tells you the profile climbs almost relentlessly upward with very little descending or flat relief; you gain nearly every metre of elevation the hard way, and there are few free stretches to recover on. Expect the steepest pitches to feel disproportionately punishing precisely because you cannot coast off them.

Pacing Notes

For a 14.7 km effort, pacing to your sustainable power is everything. Anchor your ride to your FTP and aim to sit just below threshold on the shallower gradients, holding a little in reserve for the ramps that push toward 11.04%. If you go into the red on the early kilometres you will pay for it long before the 909 m summit. Not sure of your threshold number? Run a quick check with the FTP estimator before you commit to a target, then plan to spend your matches on the steep pitches rather than the flatter middle. On a climb this long, an even distribution of effort almost always beats surging.

Gearing

With a 5.27% average that spikes to 11.04%, you want a cassette that keeps your cadence up when the road tilts. A compact chainring paired with a wide-range cassette is the sensible default here. A 34×32 will get most fit riders over the steepest ramps without grinding, and if you tire late in a 14.7 km climb or simply prefer to spin, a 34×34 buys you extra headroom for those 11.04% pitches. Given how little flat there is to recover on, err toward the easier option — spinning a 34×34 up the hard sections costs you nothing and protects your legs for the full 772 m of climbing.

Summary

Sella di Casaselvatica is a long, honest Category 1 climb: a 5.27% average that hides genuinely steep pitches, almost no respite, and 772 m of vertical to conquer. Pace it to your threshold, gear low, and let the numbers do the talking.

Length: 14.7 km
Average gradient: 5.27%
Max gradient: 11.04%
Start: 137 m
Summit: 909 m
Net gain: 772 m
Total ascent: 756 m
Category: 1