Col du Nordet cycling climb profile
The Col du Nordet is a controlled, aerobic climb rather than a long threshold test. At 6.3 km with an average gradient of 3.48%, it gives back just enough speed to tempt riders into over-riding the lower slopes, but not enough steepness to justify treating it like a pure punchy ascent.
The climb rises from 372 m to 590 m, for a net elevation gain of 218 m. That tells the main story: this is a steady uphill drag where momentum matters. The average gradient is modest, but the listed maximum gradient of 8.88% is the number that should shape how you ride it. Even on a climb this shallow overall, short ramps close to that pitch can force a costly acceleration if you arrive over-geared or already riding above target.
How the gradient plays out
The available profile data does not break the climb into individual sectors, so the smart interpretation is to treat Col du Nordet as a generally moderate ascent with isolated steeper moments rather than a climb that builds in a clearly defined staircase pattern.
That matters tactically. On a 3.48% average, aerodynamic drag and rolling speed still count. The best riders will not simply grind uphill at one fixed sensation. They will keep pressure on the pedals through the easier ground, avoid soft-pedalling when the road relaxes, and absorb the steeper ramps without spiking too far above sustainable power.
As a category 4 climb, it is not likely to be decisive through gradient alone. The danger is cumulative: entering it after hard riding, chasing over the steeper pitches, then losing speed across the shallower sections because the effort became too variable.
Pacing and gearing notes
Ride the first part deliberately under control. The average gradient is low enough that going too hard early will feel manageable, but the climb is long enough for that mistake to show up before the summit.
Practical approach:
- Settle into a seated tempo effort early rather than surging into the climb.
- Keep cadence comfortable so the ramps up to 8.88% do not force a standing grind.
- Use the easier gradients to maintain speed, not to recover completely.
- If riding by power, anchor the effort around your sustainable climbing intensity and let only brief rises go above it. See /glossary/ftp if you use FTP to structure pacing.
- Shift before the steeper ramps, not once cadence has already dropped.
For gearing, most riders will want a setup that leaves at least one easier gear available when the road tips toward the maximum gradient. The climb is not steep enough to demand ultra-low gearing for the whole 6.3 km, but the risk is being lulled by the 3.48% average and then meeting the sharper sections in too large a gear.
Who this climb suits
Col du Nordet suits riders who can hold smooth pressure and keep speed high on moderate gradients. It rewards discipline more than raw climbing torque. A strong rider can make time here by riding the shallow grade efficiently, but the bigger lesson is pacing restraint: spend too much energy fighting the steepest ramps, and the rest of the climb becomes slower than it should be.