Taraz Pass

Overview

Taraz Pass is a long, high-altitude category 1 climb that asks for patience more than fireworks. Over 20.3 km the road lifts you from a valley floor at 1018 m to a summit of 2244 m, a net elevation gain of 1226 m. The average gradient of 6.04% never sounds intimidating on paper, but sustained over this distance it becomes a genuine test of endurance and pacing discipline. This is not a wall to be attacked; it is a rhythm to be settled into and held for well over an hour for most riders.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The defining number here is the gap between the 6.04% average and the 11.9% maximum. That spread tells you the climb is not uniform. Long stretches sit close to or just under the average, giving you a workable tempo, but they are punctuated by ramps that steepen toward the 11.9% figure. Because total ascent is 1220 m against a net gain of 1226 m, the profile is almost entirely upward with essentially no meaningful descending or false flat to recover on. What that means in practice is that every metre of the 20.3 km contributes to the total, and there are few free gifts. Expect the steepest pitches to break your rhythm; the challenge is absorbing them without over-spending, then re-settling into the sustainable 6.04% grind that dominates the climb.

Pacing Notes

At this length, pacing is everything. The climb will likely take longer than an hour, so ride it as a sustained effort anchored to your threshold rather than a series of surges. A good target is to hold a power just below your FTP on the average-gradient sections, leaving a small buffer for the ramps toward 11.9% where power naturally spikes. If you go into the red early on the lower slopes, the remaining kilometres to 2244 m will punish you severely. Remember that the summit sits high, so thinner air will quietly erode the numbers you can hold — plan to feel slightly worse than the gradient alone suggests near the top. If you are unsure what threshold to aim for, use the FTP estimator to set a realistic ceiling before you start pacing this one.

Gearing

Given 20.3 km at 6.04% with pitches to 11.9% at altitude, gear conservatively. A compact 34-tooth chainring paired with a wide cassette is the sensible baseline. A 34×32 will get most fit riders over the average slopes with cadence to spare, but on a climb this long the fatigue accumulates, so a 34×34 is the safer choice if your legs are not fresh or you simply want to spin the steep ramps rather than grind them. Choosing the easier 34×34 costs you nothing on the shallower sections and buys real insurance for the 11.9% moments late in the climb.

Summary

Taraz Pass rewards the disciplined climber: settle in, respect the distance, and let the 6.04% average do its slow work while you manage the steeper ramps. It is a climb of attrition, not ambush.

Length: 20.3 km
Average gradient: 6.04%
Max gradient: 11.9%
Start: 1018 m
Summit: 2244 m
Net gain: 1226 m
Total ascent: 1220 m
Category: 1