Maisons Blanches pass cycling climb profile
The Maisons Blanches pass cycling climb is a long Category 1 ascent in CH: 17.4 km from 1292 m to 2471 m, with 1179 m of net elevation gain. The average gradient is 6.76%, while the maximum gradient is 8.79%, which tells you the main story before you even start riding it.
This is not a climb defined by one savage ramp. It is defined by duration. The gap between the average and maximum gradient is relatively small, so the challenge is less about surviving an isolated wall and more about holding a controlled effort across a long, sustained uphill.
How the gradient unfolds
With only the headline profile data available, the safest read is that Maisons Blanches pass is a steady climbing test from bottom to summit. Over 17.4 km, the road gains enough elevation that coasting opportunities are unlikely to define the effort. The average of 6.76% is already demanding, and the maximum of 8.79% suggests the steepest parts are sharper but not wildly detached from the climb’s overall character.
That matters tactically. On a climb where the maximum gradient is close to the average, riders often get into trouble by treating the lower slopes as a warm-up and riding just above threshold too early. The climb is long enough that small early overages compound. If you are pacing by /glossary/ftp, the opening should feel deliberately restrained, not heroic.
Pacing notes
Ride the first part as if the summit is farther away than it feels. A 17.4 km climb at this average gradient gives very little room to recover if you push over your limit early. The best approach is to settle into a sustainable rhythm, keep pressure on the pedals, and avoid responding to every change in pitch.
The steepest gradients topping out at 8.79% are manageable if you arrive with something left. They become expensive if you have already burned matches below. For most riders, the winning pacing pattern is conservative early, stable through the middle, then progressively firmer once the summit effort is clearly within reach.
Gearing notes
Use climbing-friendly gearing. The average gradient is high enough that a standard road setup may force unnecessary torque if you are tired or carrying fatigue. The goal is not just to get up the steepest 8.79% section, but to keep cadence available across the full 17.4 km.
If you are choosing between gears, bias toward the option that lets you stay seated and smooth. Maisons Blanches pass rewards efficiency more than aggression: keep the effort even, protect your cadence, and let the length of the climb do the sorting.