pas Morisc

Overview

Pas Morisc is a category 2 climb that stretches 9.8 km from a base at 175 m to a summit at 720 m. That gives a net elevation gain of 545 m, while the road actually piles up 586 m of total ascent along the way — a hint that this isn't a perfectly uniform ramp. The average gradient of 5.56% reads as steady and honest, the kind of number that lets you settle into a rhythm. But averages hide the story, and the max gradient of 17.31% tells you there's at least one moment where steady turns into survival.

How the Gradient Unfolds

With 586 m of total ascent against only 545 m of net gain, the extra 41 m of climbing comes from small dips and false flats where the road briefly eases before rearing up again. That undulation is what separates the felt difficulty from the tidy 5.56% headline. A pure 5.56% climb of 9.8 km would be a metronomic effort; instead you get sections that sit well below average, banked against pitches that spike toward that 17.31% maximum. Expect the hardest ramps to arrive where the gradient concentrates, so read the road ahead and don't get caught in too big a gear when the slope kicks.

Pacing Notes

Nine-point-eight kilometres at 5.56% is long enough to reward discipline and punish over-eagerness. Anchor your effort to your FTP: on a climb of this length, holding a percentage of threshold you can sustain for the full 9.8 km matters far more than early heroics. If you're unsure of your number, run the FTP estimator before you commit to a target. The key is to leave headroom for the 17.31% pitch — that spike will drag you above threshold no matter how well you pace, so bank a little to spend there and recover on the shallower ramps that follow. Climbing 545 m of net gain in one sustained push is a real time-under-tension test.

Gearing

For a climb this long with a 17.31% maximum, gear for the steepest moment, not the average. A compact chainring paired with a 34×32 low is the sensible baseline for most riders, giving enough range to spin the 5.56% stretches without grinding. If you tend to climb seated or want insurance against that 17.31% wall, step up to a 34×34 — the extra sprockets keep your cadence alive when the road stands up and protect your knees over the full 9.8 km. Either way, prioritise a low gear you can turn smoothly; the total ascent of 586 m adds up, and spinning beats muscling on a climb of this duration.

Summary

Pas Morisc is a fair but demanding category 2 climb: 9.8 km of mostly steady 5.56% gradient, sharpened by a 17.31% maximum and a touch of undulation that pushes total ascent past net gain. Pace to threshold, gear for the steep bits, and you'll crest the 720 m summit with plenty in the tank.

Length: 9.8 km
Average gradient: 5.56%
Max gradient: 17.31%
Start: 175 m
Summit: 720 m
Net gain: 545 m
Total ascent: 586 m
Category: 2