Col Chécrouit

Overview

Col Chécrouit is a long, patient climb: 22 km of continuous ascent from a valley floor at 804 m up to a summit of 2021 m. That is a net elevation gain of 1217 m, with 1209 m of total ascent packed almost entirely into forward-facing gradient — this is a road that goes up and mostly stays up. The 5.54% average is deceptively gentle for a category-1 effort, but averages hide the real story. At 22 km, this is a climb measured in tens of minutes, not seconds, and its length alone earns the category-1 label as much as its slope does.

How the Gradient Unfolds

Read the numbers together and the shape emerges. A 5.54% average across 22 km is the kind of sustained pitch you can settle into, but the 17.6% maximum tells you the road is not uniform. Somewhere on this climb the gradient more than triples the average, and steep pitches that far above the mean are what break a rhythm you have spent twenty minutes building. Expect the profile to swing: long stretches near or below the 5.54% average that let you find a cadence, punctuated by short, sharp ramps that spike toward 17.6% and demand you stand or drop gears. With 1217 m of vertical to gain, the climb has room to hide several of these surges, so treat every flatter section as recovery rather than a place to spend.

Pacing Notes

On a climb this long, pacing is everything. The difference between a controlled 22 km and a blow-up usually comes down to the first third — start below what feels sustainable, because the 17.6% ramps will ask for surges you cannot afford if you have already dug in. Anchor your effort to your FTP: aim to sit just under threshold on the steady 5.54% sections and allow the steep ramps to pull you briefly above it, knowing the flatter stretches will bring your average back down. If you do not know your threshold, run the numbers through the FTP estimator first, then set a ceiling and refuse to break it early. Over 1217 m of climbing, discipline in the opening kilometres buys you a summit you can actually enjoy.

Gearing

Length plus steep ramps is exactly the combination that rewards a generous cassette. For most riders a compact 34-tooth inner ring is the sensible foundation here. Pair it with a 34×32 if you climb strongly and want to keep your cadence up on the 5.54% stretches without spinning out, but if you know the 17.6% ramps will find you tired after 22 km — or if you simply value your knees — a 34×34 gives you that extra escape gear for the steepest pitches. On a climb with 1217 m of gain, the smallest gear you might use is the one that keeps you turning the pedals when standing is no longer an option, so err toward more range, not less.

Summary

Col Chécrouit is a true test of endurance over explosiveness: a 22 km category-1 climb that rewards patient pacing, honest gearing, and respect for the ramps hidden in an otherwise steady 5.54%. Get the first third right and the summit at 2021 m is well within reach.

Length: 22 km
Average gradient: 5.54%
Max gradient: 17.6%
Start: 804 m
Summit: 2021 m
Net gain: 1217 m
Total ascent: 1209 m
Category: 1