South Col

South Col cycling climb profile

South Col is not a climb that rewards optimism. On the supplied profile, it runs for 7 km from 4,298 m to 5,399 m, gaining 1,101 m net and averaging 15.75%. That average is the key number. It means the climb is not built around one isolated wall that distorts an otherwise manageable ascent. The whole profile sits in a range where torque, traction, and pacing discipline matter from the first metres.

The maximum gradient of 31.8% changes how this should be ridden. Even if that steepest pitch is short, it is severe enough to force a shift from steady climbing into survival mechanics: low cadence, high torque, and very little margin if the gear is too big. On a climb with an average already above 15%, those ramps are not interruptions to the rhythm. They are the logical extreme of the climb's character.

How the gradient unfolds

The context does not provide kilometre-by-kilometre gradient splits, so the safest way to read South Col is as a consistently steep ascent with at least one extreme pitch rather than a climb with defined recovery terraces. The bottom starts high at 4,298 m, then the road or track profile rises to 5,399 m over just 7 km. That compressed vertical gain is what creates the difficulty: there is very little horizontal distance available to dilute the elevation change.

Because the total profile is so short relative to the gain, pacing errors compound quickly. A rider who starts at threshold as if this were a conventional long climb will likely be forced above sustainable output on the steepest ramps. Once cadence collapses on gradients approaching the listed maximum, the cost is not just muscular. It becomes metabolic, because repeated torque spikes push the effort well above steady-state climbing.

Pacing and gearing notes

Treat South Col as an HC climb where the limiter is not just aerobic capacity, but the ability to keep turning the gear when the gradient steepens. The correct pacing target is controlled early pressure, not a hard launch. Ride the opening as if the steepest section is still ahead, because the profile gives no evidence of reliable recovery.

Gearing should be chosen for the 31.8% maximum, not the 15.75% average. If the easiest gear only feels comfortable at the average gradient, it is too large for this climb. The goal is to preserve cadence enough that the steepest ramps do not become repeated standing efforts. Standing may be unavoidable, but if it becomes the default, power will surge and traction may become harder to manage.

Use /glossary/ftp as a ceiling, not a target. On a climb this steep, the smartest ride is built around keeping the effort just below the point where cadence fails. The rider who loses less speed on the hardest ramps will usually be faster than the rider who chases a high early power number.