Bochtepass

Overview

Bochtepass is a long category 1 climb that trades brute steepness for relentless duration. Over 23.7 km it lifts you from 725 m at the base to a 1931 m summit, a net gain of 1206 m. The average gradient reads a moderate 5.08%, but that number hides the story: with 1229 m of total ascent packed into the distance, the road pitches up, eases, and pitches up again rather than climbing at one steady tilt. This is a climb you settle into for over an hour, not one you attack.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The headline figure is that 5.08% average, and much of the climb genuinely sits near it. What sets Bochtepass apart is the spread between average and maximum: the steepest ramp bites at 13.86%, roughly two and a half times the mean. Those pitches are the moments that break a rhythm you have spent twenty minutes building. Between them, long stretches of shallower grade let the legs recover, which is why the total ascent of 1229 m slightly exceeds the 1206 m net gain — there is enough undulation that a little height is given back and reclaimed. Treat the climb in three mental blocks and the length becomes manageable.

Pacing Notes

On a climb this long, discipline beats bravado. Anchor your effort to your FTP and hold a steady, sustainable power on the average sections rather than chasing the gradient. When the road rears toward 13.86%, let your speed drop and protect your effort — surging over a single ramp on a 23.7 km climb is how you blow twenty minutes early. If you do not know your threshold, run the numbers through the FTP estimator before you ride so you can set realistic targets for the 1206 m of climbing ahead. The goal is to crest at 1931 m with something left, not to win the first kilometre.

Gearing

The combination of length and those 13.86% spikes makes gearing the difference between spinning and grinding. A compact 34-tooth chainring is the sensible front. For most riders a 34×32 gives enough range to keep a comfortable cadence across the 5.08% average while still handling the steeper ramps. If you weigh more, ride at lower fitness, or simply want insurance against fatigue late in a 1206 m ascent, step up to a 34×34 — the extra sprocket keeps your cadence alive when the gradient touches its 13.86% maximum near the top. Err toward the easier option; you will not regret the spare gear at 1931 m.

Summary

Bochtepass rewards patience: pace to your threshold, gear low, and respect the difference between a 5.08% average and a 13.86% maximum. Do that and the 23.7 km to the 1931 m summit passes as a rhythm rather than a battle.

Length: 23.7 km
Average gradient: 5.08%
Max gradient: 13.86%
Start: 725 m
Summit: 1931 m
Net gain: 1206 m
Total ascent: 1229 m
Category: 1