Croix de Coeur

Overview

Croix de Coeur is a hors catégorie (HC) climb in Switzerland, running 20.2 km from a start elevation of 464 m to a summit at 2,174 m. Over that distance it delivers a net elevation gain of 1,710 m at an average gradient of 8.45%. That combination of length, altitude, and sustained steepness is why it carries the HC label: there is no natural place to switch off, and the thin air near the top compounds everything below it.

The number that reshapes how you ride it is total ascent: 2,772 m against a net gain of 1,710 m. That 1,062 m gap means the road gives back more than a kilometre of vertical along the way, then makes you re-climb it. Every metre you descend mid-climb is a metre you pay for twice. Your legs and your power meter will register the full 2,772 m even though the map only shows 1,710 m of net height. Plan and fuel for the larger figure.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The 8.45% average is a blend, not a constant. With a maximum gradient of 33.33%, there are ramps that sit far above the mean, and the descents baked into that 1,062 m of extra ascent mean stretches sit well below it too. Averages hide both extremes.

Expect the profile to break down roughly like this:

• Recovery and false-flat sections where the road dips or eases, letting you spin and eat
• Repeated short climbs that follow each descent, forcing you to rebuild rhythm again and again
• A steepest ramp touching 33.33% that demands your lowest gear and a hard, brief effort

Pacing Notes

On a smooth climb you might chase even speed. Here, don't. The undulation makes even-effort pacing the only sane approach: hold a steady target based on your sustainable power output and let your speed rise on the shallow bits and fall on the ramps. Chasing a fixed speed over the 33.33% pitches will blow you apart long before the summit.

Set your ceiling below threshold so the repeated re-climbs don't accumulate into a blow-up. If you don't know your number, run the FTP estimator first and pace off that. Bank a little on the descents, spend it on the ramps, and keep something in reserve for the last of the 1,710 m at altitude.

Gearing

The steepest gradient governs your setup, and 33.33% is severe. Bring a compact or sub-compact chainset and a wide-range cassette — something like 34×32 or 34×34 at minimum — so you can keep the cranks turning without lurching into a grind. On a climb this long, cadence protects your legs across all 2,772 m of ascent. Check your chainring and cassette before the ride, not at the trailhead; there is no bailout gear you can add halfway up.

Summary

• Length: 20.2 km
• Average gradient: 8.45%
• Maximum gradient: 33.33%
• Net elevation gain: 1,710 m
• Total ascent: 2,772 m
• Category: HC

Croix de Coeur is a long HC effort where the 1,062 m gap between net gain and total ascent, not just the 8.45% average, defines the day. Pace to power, gear low, and respect the re-climbs.