Laken Pass

Laken Pass cycling climb profile

Laken Pass is a category 1 climb in CN that asks for a controlled, disciplined effort rather than a single violent move. The headline numbers tell the story well: 16.6 km at an average gradient of 5.36%, starting at 4297 m and topping out at 5188 m. That combination matters. The gradient is not extreme on average, but the elevation makes every pacing mistake more expensive.

The climb gains 891 m from start to summit, with 877 m of total ascent listed. The maximum gradient reaches 10.26%, which means this is not a pure steady-tempo drag from bottom to top. Even if the average sits in the mid-single digits, riders should expect sharper ramps that interrupt rhythm and force a decision: hold power and lose speed, or push over threshold and pay later.

How the gradient unfolds

With a 5.36% average over 16.6 km, Laken Pass is best understood as a long aerobic climb with selective steeper sections. The climb is long enough that chasing every change in pitch is the wrong approach. The efficient ride is built around preserving torque and breathing room early, then allowing the effort to rise only when the road demands it.

The 10.26% maximum gradient is the key tactical detail. A short section at that pitch can feel manageable when fresh, but on a climb that finishes at 5188 m, repeated surges will narrow the margin quickly. The practical goal is not to flatten every ramp with force. It is to absorb the steeper gradients with cadence control and avoid turning the climb into a sequence of anaerobic efforts.

Pacing and gearing

Start below your target climbing effort. On paper, 5.36% can tempt riders into riding too confidently from the base, especially because the gradient does not read like a wall. But the climb begins at 4297 m, so oxygen availability is already a factor before the road has done much damage. If you ride by FTP, treat the lower slopes as a place to settle, not test.

Gearing should be chosen for the maximum gradient, not the average. A setup that feels comfortable at 5.36% may become a grind when the road pitches toward 10.26%, particularly late in the climb. Prioritise a gear that lets you keep cadence alive on the steepest sections without forcing a full-body effort.

A sensible approach:

• Ride the opening kilometres conservatively and let the effort stabilise.
• Use easier gears before the steepest ramps, not after cadence has already collapsed.
• Avoid repeated surges above sustainable power unless the objective is a race move.
• Save the strongest sustained effort for the upper part, where the summit elevation of 5188 m makes pacing discipline decisive.

Laken Pass is not defined by an outrageous average gradient. It is defined by duration, altitude, and the cost of the steeper ramps. Ride it as a long controlled climb, respect the elevation, and gear for the worst pitch rather than the headline average.