Col des Supeyres

Overview

Col des Supeyres is a Category 1 climb in France, running 13 km from a valley start at 632 m to a summit at 1,362 m. On paper the numbers are moderate: a net elevation gain of 730 m across those 13 km works out to a headline average that reads more like a long tempo effort than a mountain. The category tells you otherwise, and the reason lies in how the road actually behaves between the two endpoints.

The gap between net gain and total ascent is the story here. You climb 730 m net, but you accumulate 1,209 m of total ascent — meaning roughly 479 m of that vertical is repaid by descents and dips scattered through the profile. That undulation matters. Every metre you lose to a downhill is a metre you have to re-climb, often out of the saddle, and the rolling terrain never lets you settle into a single sustained rhythm.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The 5.62% average is a poor guide to the effort. Averages flatten out the descents and the ramps into one misleading number. With a maximum gradient of 19.02%, there are pitches nearly three and a half times steeper than the average, and those are where the climb is won or lost.

• Flatter and recovery sections where you can spin, drink, and reset before the next kick
• Repeated short climbs stacked between dips — the source of that 479 m of extra ascent
• A steepest ramp touching 19.02%, steep enough to force you out of the saddle if your gearing is short

Pacing Notes

On a smooth climb you can hold even effort and let speed vary with the slope. On Col des Supeyres, even-speed pacing is a trap — chasing a constant number over the 19.02% ramp will blow you apart. Anchor to effort instead. Know your sustainable power output, sit just under it on the steady sections, and accept short overshoots on the steep pitches, using the descents to shed the surplus. If you have not tested recently, run the FTP estimator first so your ceiling is real, not a guess.

Gearing

The 19.02% maximum governs your setup. Gear for the steepest metre, not the average. A compact (34-tooth inner) or sub-compact chainset paired with a wide-range cassette — 34×32 or 34×34 — keeps your cadence up when the road stands on end. Check your chainset and cassette before the ride; a bailout gear you do not own is no help on the ramp.

Summary

• Length: 13 km
• Average gradient: 5.62%
• Maximum gradient: 19.02%
• Net elevation gain: 730 m
• Total ascent: 1,209 m
• Category: 1

Col des Supeyres rewards riders who respect its undulation. Pace on effort, gear for the steepest ramp, and let the descents work for you rather than against you.