Ticlio

Overview

Ticlio is a Category 1 climb that trades brutal steepness for sheer relentlessness and altitude. Over 24.2 km it averages 5.62%, lifting you from a start elevation of 3447 m all the way to a summit at 4809 m. That is a net elevation gain of 1362 m, achieved almost entirely above the height where most climbs finish. The maximum gradient is 8.27%, so this is not a wall-punching effort — it is a long, sustained tempo test where the defining challenge is the thin air rather than the pitch of the road.

With a total ascent of 1312 m recorded across the profile, the climbing is remarkably consistent. There is very little descending mixed in, which means almost every pedal stroke over those 24.2 km is going uphill. Combined with the extreme altitude, that makes Ticlio one of those efforts that rewards patience and punishes anyone who goes out hot.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The shape here is defined by steadiness. A 5.62% average across 24.2 km with a max of only 8.27% tells you the road never ramps into anything savage — the gap between the mean gradient and the steepest section is narrow, so the climb feels like one long, even drag rather than a series of spikes and recoveries.

Expect the ramps to hover close to the average for long stretches, with the steepest pitches nudging toward that 8.27% ceiling. Because the total ascent of 1312 m sits just below the net gain of 1362 m, there are effectively no meaningful downhill breathers to reset your legs. You climb, and you keep climbing, from 3447 m to 4809 m without respite.

Pacing Notes

At this altitude, pacing is everything. Your sustainable power will be well below your sea-level FTP, so do not anchor your effort to numbers you hold on lower climbs. Ride to feel and breathing, keeping something in reserve for the final kilometres where the 4809 m summit air is thinnest.

If you want a starting reference point, run your recent data through the FTP estimator, then mentally discount it for the elevation. The steadiness of the 5.62% average is your ally: settle into a rhythm early, hold it, and let the consistent gradient carry you across all 24.2 km rather than surging on the 8.27% ramps.

Gearing

Even though the gradients are moderate, the altitude and the 24.2 km duration argue for generous gearing. A compact 34-tooth inner ring paired with a 34×32 low gear gives most riders enough range to spin comfortably at the 5.62% average and cover the 8.27% maximum without grinding.

If you know you fade at altitude, or you simply prefer to protect your legs across a 1362 m ascent, step up to a 34×34. The extra sprocket keeps your cadence high and your effort aerobic, which matters far more here than raw torque. On a climb this long and this high, spinning smoothly beats muscling every pitch.

Summary

Ticlio is a high-altitude endurance climb: long, steady, and defined by the extraordinary elevation it reaches rather than by dramatic gradients. Pace it conservatively, gear for spinning, and respect the thin air from 3447 m upward.

Length: 24.2 km
Average gradient: 5.62%
Max gradient: 8.27%
Start: 3447 m
Summit: 4809 m
Net gain: 1362 m
Total ascent: 1312 m
Category: 1