Mzaar Kfardebian

Overview

Mzaar Kfardebian is a short, uncompromising climb: 4.2 km of road that never really lets you settle. The average gradient of 8.91% tells most of the story on its own — this is not a climb with flat recovery stretches where you can soft-pedal and catch your breath. It starts at 1545 m and tops out at 1916 m, a summit elevation high enough that the thin air adds its own quiet tax on top of the pitch. Over those 4.2 km you gain 371 m net, with 364 m of total ascent, and the peak ramp bites at 13.06%. It is graded Category 2, which sounds tame next to the harder tiers but undersells how much this climb asks of your legs per kilometre.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The defining feature here is consistency. With an 8.91% average packed into just 4.2 km, the road holds a steep, sustained pitch rather than alternating between savage ramps and rests. The gap between the 8.91% average and the 13.06% maximum is modest, which means the hardest section is not some isolated wall — it is simply the steepest stretch of an already steep road. Expect the gradient to hover near or above its average for long segments, with the pitch drifting up toward 13.06% on the harder ramps and easing only slightly on the flatter ones. Because net gain (371 m) and total ascent (364 m) are nearly identical, there is essentially no descending inside the climb: every metre is upward. You are always climbing, and always climbing hard.

Pacing Notes

On a climb this uniform, pacing is about restraint at the bottom. The temptation is to attack the opening ramps at 1545 m while your legs feel fresh, but with 4.2 km at 8.91% ahead of you, a hot start compounds badly. Anchor your effort to your FTP and aim to hold a steady percentage of it rather than chasing the gradient spikes. When the road tilts toward 13.06%, let your cadence drop and your power drift up briefly, then settle again once the pitch relaxes toward the average. If you are unsure of your threshold, the FTP estimator will give you a working number to pace against. The last thing you want is to blow before the summit at 1916 m, where the altitude leaves no margin for a rescue.

Gearing

At 8.91% average with ramps to 13.06%, gearing choice makes or breaks the day. A compact 34-tooth chainring is the baseline, and the question is what you pair it with at the back. A 34×32 will get most trained riders up while keeping cadence respectable on the steady 8.91% sections. But when the road hits 13.06%, a 34×34 buys you a genuinely lower gear and lets you spin rather than grind — worth having across all 4.2 km given how little relief the profile offers. If you are between the two, err toward the 34×34; the extra range costs you nothing on a climb with no flat.

Summary

Mzaar Kfardebian is a pure, sustained effort: short in distance but steep from bottom to top, with no rest and thin air at the summit. Pace it conservatively, gear it generously, and respect the 8.91% average — it does not forgive an ambitious start.

Length: 4.2 km
Average gradient: 8.91%
Max gradient: 13.06%
Start: 1545 m
Summit: 1916 m
Net gain: 371 m
Total ascent: 364 m
Category: 2