Col de Voré

Overview

Col de Voré is a Category 1 climb in Switzerland, rising over 9.1 km from a start elevation of 1126 m to a summit at 1918 m. The net elevation gain is 792 m, and at an average gradient of 8.74% this is a serious, sustained effort that sits firmly in the hardest tier of categorized climbing. From the first ramps you are already at altitude, and the road holds you above 1100 m for the entire ascent.

The number to watch is the gap between net gain and total ascent. You gain 792 m net, but you actually climb 1058 m of vertical over the road — a 266 m difference. That means roughly 266 m of descending and re-climbing is folded into the profile. Undulation like this punishes riders who treat the climb as a single smooth wall: every dip you coast down has to be paid back with fresh gradient, and those transitions break rhythm far more than the average suggests.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The 8.74% average is a blend, not a constant. With 266 m of re-climbing hidden in the profile, the true climbing sections are steeper than the average, offset by flatter or descending relief. Expect the effort to arrive in punches rather than one long grind.

• Flatter and recovery sections where the road eases or dips, letting the average settle
• Repeated short climbs after each dip, forcing you to reaccelerate against gradient
• The steepest ramp, well above the average, where you will be out of the saddle and grinding your lowest gear

Do not let an easy stretch convince you the hard work is done — the next pitch is usually waiting.

Pacing Notes

On an undulating climb like this, chase even effort, not even speed. If you pace by pace-on-the-flat, you will over-spend on the steep ramps and freewheel through the dips, wasting the recovery. Instead, hold a steady sustainable power output and let your speed fluctuate — slower on the ramps, faster on the relief. Ease very slightly on the false flats and descending sections so you arrive at the next ramp with something in reserve. If you do not know your ceiling, run the numbers through the FTP estimator before you commit to a target, because on 792 m of net gain a pacing error compounds fast.

Gearing

With average pitches near 8.74% and steeper ramps above it, gear for the worst section, not the average. A compact (50/34) or sub-compact chainset paired with a wide-range cassette is the right call — a 34×32 as a minimum, and 34×34 if you climb at lower cadence or carry any fatigue. The re-climbs after each dip mean you will hit the low gears repeatedly, not just once. Check your chainset and cassette combination before the ride; discovering you have run out of gears on the steepest ramp is not the place to find out.

Summary

• Length: 9.1 km
• Average gradient: 8.74%
• Net elevation gain: 792 m
• Total ascent: 1058 m
• Category: 1

Col de Voré is a Category 1 test that hides its real difficulty in the numbers: the 266 m gap between net gain and total ascent turns a hard climb into a rhythm-breaker. Pace by effort, gear low, and respect every dip as another climb waiting to be paid for.