Col de Bekar cycling climb profile
Col de Bekar is a category 1 climb in DZ that asks for sustained control rather than repeated surges. The headline numbers are straightforward: 10.8 km in length, an average gradient of 6.65%, a start elevation of 100 m, and a summit elevation of 817 m. That gives the climb enough vertical weight to punish poor pacing, but not enough gradient severity to make it a pure low-cadence wall.
The important detail is how those numbers interact. A 6.65% average over 10.8 km means the effort will sit in that uncomfortable middle ground where it is too steep to fake on momentum, but not so steep that pacing becomes purely about survival. The maximum gradient of 9.47% is the warning label. Even if the climb is broadly steady, there are sections steep enough to force a gear change and expose riders who start above target.
How the gradient unfolds
With the profile data available, Col de Bekar should be treated as a sustained climb from bottom to summit rather than a climb defined by one decisive wall. Starting at 100 m and rising to 817 m, the road gains 717 m in net elevation. The listed total ascent is 695 m, while the net elevation gain is 717 m, so the safest reading is that this is an overwhelmingly uphill route with little practical value in waiting for recovery between hard sections.
The average gradient tells you the main rhythm: tempo climbing, seated pressure, and a controlled cadence. The max gradient near 9.47% matters because it raises the cost of riding too close to your limit early. A rider sitting at or above /glossary/ftp before those steeper ramps will likely have to choose between grinding a harder gear or spiking power. Both are expensive late in a climb of this length.
Pacing and gearing notes
The best approach is conservative for the first part, disciplined through the middle, and only aggressive once the summit effort is clearly manageable. On a climb averaging 6.65%, the temptation is to ride by feel and let speed dictate effort. That is usually the wrong read. The gradient is high enough that small overages accumulate quickly, especially when the road kicks toward the 9.47% maximum.
Use a gear range that keeps cadence stable while seated. The key is not having the biggest possible gear for the average gradient, but having one easier option available when the road steepens. If you are riding with power, anchor the opening effort below your sustainable climbing target, then let the steeper sections lift power naturally rather than forcing them. If you are riding by feel, keep breathing controlled early and avoid standing accelerations unless they are being used to reset position, not to attack the climb.
Col de Bekar rewards riders who respect the arithmetic. At 10.8 km, it is long enough for pacing mistakes to compound. At 6.65%, it is steady enough to reward rhythm. And with pitches up to 9.47%, it has enough bite to make gearing and restraint matter.