Belaungo lepoa

Overview

Belaungo lepoa is a Category 1 climb that earns its rating through sustained difficulty rather than a single showpiece. Over 7.8 km the road lifts you from 197 m at the base to 801 m at the summit, a net gain of 604 m. The average gradient sits at a stiff 7.79%, which is the kind of number that never lets you settle into a rhythm and forget you are climbing. On the four-tier scale below hors catégorie, a Category 1 is the second-hardest label a climb can carry, and this one wears it honestly: nearly eight kilometres with no real reprieve, plus a maximum pitch of 27.83% waiting to break whatever cadence you have found.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The headline figures tell a clear story. A 7.79% average across 7.8 km means the effort is remarkably even, but the 27.83% maximum shows the road is not uniform. That spread — from a punishing near-28% wall down to gentler stretches that let the average settle where it does — is the defining feature of the shape. Expect the climb to arrive in waves: ramps that spike well above the average, followed by short sections that fall back below it just enough to recover. The total ascent of 592 m sits slightly under the 604 m net gain, meaning the route climbs almost continuously with very little descending in between. There are no flat kilometres to hide in here.

Pacing Notes

The trap on a climb like this is the maximum gradient. That 27.83% ramp can spike your power far above what you can hold for the full 7.8 km, so anchor your effort to your FTP rather than to what your legs feel like on the steepest pitch. Ride the ramps a touch under threshold and let the shallower sections claw the average back. If you do not know your threshold number, run your recent efforts through the FTP estimator before you commit to a pacing plan. With over 600 m of vertical to gain, going into the red early on the first steep wall will cost you far more time in the back half than a patient, even distribution of effort ever will.

Gearing

A 7.79% average over 7.8 km, capped by a 27.83% maximum, is exactly the profile that punishes under-geared bikes. A compact 34-tooth chainring paired with a wide cassette is the sensible baseline. A 34×32 low gear will get most fit riders up the sustained sections, but the near-28% pitch is where it starts to feel marginal. If you can fit it, a 34×34 gives you the extra range to keep spinning through the steepest ramp instead of grinding to a near-stall. Choose the easier ratio if you are carrying fatigue or want to protect your legs for whatever comes after the summit.

Summary

Belaungo lepoa is a genuine Category 1 test: long, steep, and unforgiving, with a maximum pitch that demands respect and gearing to match. Pace it off your threshold, gear low, and let the numbers — not your ego — set the tempo.

Length: 7.8 km
Average gradient: 7.79%
Max gradient: 27.83%
Start: 197 m
Summit: 801 m
Net gain: 604 m
Total ascent: 592 m
Category: 1