La Balisa

Overview

La Balisa is a Category 2 climb in Switzerland, running 9.9 km from a start elevation of 855 m to a summit at 1473 m. On paper it delivers 618 m of net elevation gain at an average gradient of 6.22%, which places it squarely in the range where a fit rider expects a steady 30-to-45-minute effort. The numbers frame it as a solid mid-tier ascent: long enough to demand pacing, not so long that it becomes a survival exercise.

But the profile hides its true cost. The net gain of 618 m sits well below the total ascent of 911 m, meaning roughly 293 m of the road actually goes downhill before climbing again. That is not a smooth ramp — it is an undulating course where you repeatedly lose altitude you have already earned, then reclaim it. Every metre of descent is a metre you climb twice, and that extra vertical is the real work La Balisa asks of you.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The 6.22% average is an illusion built from wildly different sections. Because the road rolls, flatter and downhill stretches drag the average down, which means the climbing pitches are steeper than 6.22% to compensate. Do not pace to the average — pace to the ramps.

• Flatter and recovery sections where the road pitches down or levels off, letting the average deceive you
• Repeated short climbs that reclaim lost elevation, each demanding a fresh surge of effort
• A few genuinely steep ramps well above the average, where the grade bites hardest

Pacing Notes

On a smooth climb, even-effort and even-speed pacing converge. On La Balisa they do not. Because of the undulation, chasing an even speed forces you to spike your power on every re-climb and coast on the descents — a wasteful pattern that shreds your legs. Instead, hold an even effort anchored to your sustainable power output: let speed rise on the downhills and fall on the ramps while your effort stays flat. Ease slightly before each descent so you carry momentum into the next climb rather than braking and re-accelerating. If you do not know your ceiling, run the FTP estimator first so your target on the ramps is grounded, not guessed.

Gearing

The steep ramps here demand gearing you can spin, not grind. Fit a compact (34-tooth inner) or sub-compact chainset paired with a wide-range cassette — a 34×32 or 34×34 gives you the low ratios to hold cadence when the grade jumps well above the average. The repeated re-climbs make this doubly important: you want to recover on the gentle sections without over-torquing. Check your setup before the ride, not at the base of the climb.

Summary

• Length: 9.9 km
• Average gradient: 6.22%
• Net elevation gain: 618 m
• Total ascent: 911 m
• Category: 2

La Balisa rewards riders who respect its undulation. Pace to effort, gear for the steep re-climbs, and treat the 911 m of total ascent — not the 618 m net — as the effort you are truly signing up for.