Coll de Xous

Overview

Coll de Xous is a short, honest category 3 climb that packs a lot of character into 4.1 km. From a base at 152 m, the road lifts you to a summit of 356 m, a net gain of 204 m. On paper the 4.98% average reads as gentle, and for long stretches it is — but a max gradient of 11.94% tells you the road does not hold that mild slope the whole way. This is a climb of contrasts: rolling, forgiving sections stitched together with a handful of genuine ramps. At just over four kilometres, it is the kind of ascent you can attack hard without blowing your whole day apart.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The gap between the 4.98% average and the 11.94% maximum is the story here. If the climb were uniform, every metre would sit near 5% and you would barely shift out of the saddle. Instead, that near-12% peak means the easier passages must dip well below the average to balance it out. Expect the profile to breathe: pitches that let you recover, punctuated by sharper kicks where the road bites. Note too that the total ascent of 190 m is slightly less than the 204 m net gain — a reminder the profile is not perfectly monotonic and there are small undulations rather than one relentless drag. Read the road ahead and you will spot the ramps coming.

Pacing Notes

Because Coll de Xous is short, the temptation is to go out hot. Resist it just enough to survive the steep ramp near 11.94%. A good approach: hold a steady effort just under your threshold on the flatter sections, then accept a brief spike over FTP when the gradient jumps — the pitches are short enough to absorb without cracking. Over 4.1 km, you can afford to run a little deep into the red, since recovery comes quickly at the top. If you are unsure what wattage that steady effort should be, run the numbers through the FTP estimator and set a target you can actually hold across the 204 m of climbing.

Gearing

For a climb averaging 4.98% with a 11.94% spike, most riders will be comfortable on a compact setup. A 34×32 handles the bulk of the 4.1 km without drama, letting you spin the moderate gradients rather than grind them. If you prefer to sit and stay seated through the steepest ramp, or you are carrying fatigue from earlier climbing, a 34×34 gives you that extra cushion to keep your cadence up when the road hits its near-12% max. Either choice works; pick the 34×34 if you value comfort over the short punchy sections, and the 34×32 if you like a slightly firmer gear to push against.

Summary

Coll de Xous rewards riders who respect its ramps without fearing its length. Short, punchy and manageable, it is an ideal climb to test your pacing over a compact 4.1 km with 204 m of vertical to give away.

Length: 4.1 km
Average gradient: 4.98%
Max gradient: 11.94%
Start: 152 m
Summit: 356 m
Net gain: 204 m
Total ascent: 190 m
Category: 3