Col des Égaux

What to Expect on Col des Égaux

The Col des Égaux sits in France as a Category 2 climb, but its headline numbers tell two very different stories. The 14.6 km length and 4.13% average gradient suggest a sustained, manageable effort — the kind of climb where you settle into a tempo and grind steadily toward the summit. The 28.93% maximum gradient tells you something else entirely is waiting somewhere along the road.

The climb gains 945 m of total ascent from a start elevation of 375 m, finishing at 980 m. That's a meaningful amount of vertical over a distance that isn't short, and the average gradient reflects a course that mixes genuinely moderate pitches with at least one section vicious enough to stop underprepared riders in their tracks.

How the Gradient Unfolds

With a 4.13% average spread over 14.6 km, the Col des Égaux is not a uniform grind. That average is being dragged up by a maximum of 28.93% — a figure that places individual ramps in the same territory as the steepest walls found on any professional circuit. Expect the road to breathe: stretches of mild gradient where you can recover and push a higher speed, punctuated by short, brutal pitches where traction, gear selection, and staying seated become the primary concerns.

The practical implication: your perceived effort will fluctuate sharply. Riders who target a steady heart rate or steady power will find themselves surging and recovering repeatedly rather than holding a true tempo. This is not a climb to pace purely by FTP percentage from the bottom.

Pacing Notes

• Don't overcook the moderate sections. On a 14.6 km climb, burning matches on the flatter pitches to make up time leaves nothing in reserve for the steep ramps.
• Identify the hard sections on the way up — if you have a GPS profile loaded, note where the gradient spikes. At nearly 29% maximum, those ramps require full commitment and a prior gear selection, not a reactive scramble.
• Treat the steep ramps as micro-efforts. Accept a power spike, keep your cadence from collapsing, and return to your target effort once the pitch relents. Trying to smooth over a 28.93% wall with pacing discipline alone is a losing battle.
• The long approach works in your favour if used correctly. Use the easier terrain early in the climb to stay aerobic and keep fatigue low. Banking time is far less important than banking energy.

Gearing Recommendations

A 28.93% maximum gradient is not forgiving to riders on standard compact gearing without a wide-range cassette. If you're running a 34/28 or smaller, reconsider before attempting the steep ramps — particularly if this climb appears mid-route or mid-race when legs are already loaded.

• A 34-tooth chainring with a 32- or 34-tooth sprocket is the practical floor for most riders on the steepest pitches.
• Riders on 1x drivetrains should verify their lowest gear ratio handles the maximum gradient at a cadence above 60 rpm before committing to the climb at race pace.
• If you're unsure how your gearing maps to gradient demands, use the FTP estimator alongside a gear calculator to model your power requirements on the steepest sections.

Summary

The Col des Égaux is a Category 2 climb that punishes complacency. Its moderate average gradient makes it look approachable on paper; its 28.93% maximum gradient makes it genuinely hard in practice. Ride it with a conservative early pacing strategy, pre-select the right gear before steep ramps, and treat the easier sections as recovery rather than opportunity.