Col de Recon

Overview

The Col de Recon is a hors catégorie (HC) climb, the top rung of cycling's difficulty ladder, and it earns that label with hard numbers rather than reputation. Over 14.1 km the road drags you from a start at 390 m to a summit at 1734 m — a net gain of 1344 m — at an average gradient of 9.55%. An average approaching double digits sustained across fourteen kilometres is uncommon; most HC climbs dilute their steep sections with flatter stretches, but Recon barely lets up. Add a max pitch of 22.54% and total ascent of 1293 m, and you have a climb that punishes anyone who starts too fast.

How the Gradient Unfolds

A 9.55% average across 14.1 km means there is almost nowhere to recover on the bike. Because the net gain (1344 m) exceeds the total ascent (1293 m), the road climbs relentlessly with no meaningful descents to break the rhythm — every metre of forward progress is a metre upward. The defining feature is the gap between the 9.55% average and the 22.54% maximum. That spread tells you the climb hides ramps more than twice as steep as its already-severe mean. Those pitches are where cadence collapses and where riders who paced poorly in the opening kilometres come undone. Treat the average as the baseline effort and the steep ramps as surges you must absorb without going into the red.

Pacing Notes

On a climb this long and steep, pacing is everything. Anchor your effort to your sustainable power. Riding just below your FTP for the full 14.1 km is the goal — the 9.55% average makes it tempting to push harder early, but the 22.54% ramps demand reserves you will not have if you empty the tank in the first few kilometres. If you do not know your threshold, run the numbers through the FTP estimator before you commit to a target. With 1344 m to gain, expect a long, honest effort measured in the tens of minutes; hold back on the shallower sections so you can survive the pitches toward 22.54% without stalling.

Gearing

Gear for the steepest ramp, not the average. With a max of 22.54% and a 9.55% mean over 14.1 km, most riders will want a compact setup with a wide-range cassette. A 34×32 is the sensible minimum here, and many will be far happier on a 34×34, which buys precious extra cadence when the road tips past 20%. On the steepest sections, the lower ratio keeps your cadence high enough to protect your legs across the full 1344 m of climbing. If your bike accepts an even larger cassette, this is the climb that justifies it.

Summary

The Col de Recon is a relentless HC ascent: 14.1 km, 9.55% average, and a savage 22.54% max, lifting you 1344 m to a 1734 m summit. Pace it below threshold, gear low, and respect the ramps.

Length: 14.1 km
Average gradient: 9.55%
Max gradient: 22.54%
Start: 390 m
Summit: 1734 m
Net gain: 1344 m
Total ascent: 1293 m
Category: HC