Kyzylart Pass

Overview

Kyzylart Pass is a long, high-altitude category 2 climb that unspools over 23.8 km. On paper the 3.88% average gradient reads gently, but the numbers hide two things that make this a serious effort: the ceiling and the length. You start at 3359 m and finish at 4283 m, so every pedal stroke happens in thin air where power comes harder and recovery comes slower. Add a net elevation gain of 924 m across nearly 24 km, and you have a climb that rewards patience over aggression.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The 3.88% average is a blend, not a constant. With a maximum gradient of 12.44%, the profile clearly contains at least one steep ramp far harder than the mean suggests. That gap — roughly 8.56 percentage points between the average and the max — tells you the road is uneven: long shallow drags stitched together by short, sharp pitches.

The math also reveals the terrain. The net gain is 924 m, but the total ascent is 905 m. Those two figures being so close means the climb is almost relentlessly upward, with very little false-flat or descending relief along the way. In other words, once you start climbing, you keep climbing. Meter your effort so the 12.44% ramp doesn't arrive when you're already redlined.

Pacing Notes

At altitude, pacing is everything. Because the average is a modest 3.88%, it is tempting to push a big gear early — resist that. Your usable power at 4283 m is lower than at sea level, so anchor your effort to a sustainable percentage of your FTP rather than to how the gentle grade feels in the opening kilometers.

If you don't know your threshold, estimate it first with the FTP estimator, then hold a steady sub-threshold effort for the long 23.8 km grind and keep matches in reserve for the 12.44% pitch. Fuel and drink more than you think you need — thin air masks fatigue until it arrives all at once.

Gearing

This is a climb where wide-range gearing is your friend, not a vanity. The length keeps you seated for a long time, and the max gradient of 12.44% at over 4000 m of altitude will punish anyone geared too tall. A compact chainring paired with a generous cassette is the right call.

A 34×32 is the sensible minimum for most riders here — it gives you a bailout gear for the steep ramp without spinning out on the shallower drags. If you climb at a lower cadence, tend toward heavier gear, or simply want insurance against the altitude sapping your legs, go to a 34×34. The extra range costs nothing on the flat sections and buys real comfort when the road tilts up.

Summary

Kyzylart Pass is a long, high, honest climb: 23.8 km of near-continuous ascent averaging 3.88%, spiced by a 12.44% ramp and made harder by the rarefied air above 4000 m. Pace it to your threshold, gear it wide, and it becomes a rewarding day rather than a survival exercise.

Length: 23.8 km
Average gradient: 3.88%
Max gradient: 12.44%
Start: 3359 m
Summit: 4283 m
Net gain: 924 m
Total ascent: 905 m
Category: 2