Qacha's Nek

Overview

Qacha's Nek is a long, patient climb that rewards discipline over aggression. Across 13.1 km you gain 520 m of net elevation, lifting you from a start at 1475 m to a summit of 1995 m. The average gradient of 3.98% reads gently on paper, and for much of the climb it is exactly that: a sustained, rhythmic drag rather than a wall. But that number hides a sting. Somewhere along the way the road pitches up to 9.8%, and it is those sharper ramps that decide how you feel at the top. With a total ascent of 506 m recorded over its length, this is a category-2 effort — hard enough to demand respect, long enough to punish anyone who overcooks the early kilometres.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The gap between the 3.98% average and the 9.8% maximum is the whole story here. A climb this length averaging under 4% is never uniform; the mellow sections must be balanced against steeper punches to arrive at that mean. Expect long stretches where the grade sits comfortably below average, letting you settle into a cadence, interrupted by pinches that spike toward that 9.8% figure. The 520 m of net gain arrives gradually, which means the summit at 1995 m creeps up on you rather than looming overhead. Read the road ahead: back off slightly on the shallow drags to conserve, and be ready to shift down when the gradient bites.

Pacing Notes

For a climb of this profile, target an effort just under your threshold and hold it there. Because the average is only 3.98%, momentum matters — carry speed through the flatter sections instead of soft-pedalling. Anchor your pacing to your FTP: sitting a touch below it should keep you steady across all 13.1 km without blowing up on the 9.8% ramps. If you are unsure of that ceiling, run the numbers through the FTP estimator before you commit to a target. The steep pinches will tempt you to surge; resist. Absorb them by dropping a gear and letting cadence, not force, carry you over the top and back onto the shallower grade.

Gearing

The 3.98% average does not demand ultra-low gearing, but the 9.8% maximum and the 13.1 km duration argue for a comfortable safety margin. A compact setup with a 34×32 bailout will cover most riders on the steeper ramps while keeping usable range on the flatter drags. If you tend to climb seated at lower cadence, or you are carrying fatigue into the 520 m of ascent, step up to a 34×34 for extra insurance on the pinches. Either way, the goal is to spin the hard sections rather than grind them.

Summary

Qacha's Nek is a climb of patience: long, mostly moderate, but studded with ramps sharp enough to matter. Pace it under threshold, gear for the pinches, and the 1995 m summit comes to you.

Length: 13.1 km
Average gradient: 3.98%
Max gradient: 9.8%
Start: 1475 m
Summit: 1995 m
Net gain: 520 m
Total ascent: 506 m
Category: 2