Paso de la Gloria

Paso de la Gloria cycling climb profile

Paso de la Gloria is a category 1 climb in Chile that asks for patience more than aggression. On paper, the headline is simple: 12.9 km at an average gradient of 7.04%, starting at 3363 m and finishing at 4270 m. That combination matters because the climb is not just long enough to punish poor pacing, it is also high enough that any early overreach is harder to correct later.

The supplied profile gives a net elevation gain of 907 m, with total ascent listed at 882 m. Either way, the message for the rider is the same: this is a sustained uphill effort, not a climb defined by repeated descents or recovery valleys. The road trends upward from the start to the summit, and the average gradient is steep enough that speed will be controlled by power management rather than momentum.

How the gradient unfolds

Without split-by-split gradient data, the safest way to read Paso de la Gloria is through the relationship between its average and maximum gradient. A 7.04% average over 12.9 km means the baseline workload is already substantial. The maximum gradient of 15.25% shows that the climb also contains at least one section steep enough to force a clear change in cadence, gearing, or both.

That maximum is the tactical feature. If you ride the opening kilometres as if the whole climb will sit neatly around the average, the steeper pitch can turn a controlled threshold effort into an anaerobic spike. On a climb of this length, that is usually the mistake that defines the second half. The better approach is to treat the average as the floor of the effort, not the full story.

Pacing notes

Ride the first part with restraint. The climb gains 907 m between start and summit, so there is enough vertical distance for small pacing errors to compound. A controlled start gives you room to absorb the 15.25% maximum gradient without surging far above sustainable power.

For riders pacing by /glossary/ftp, the target should feel like a steady climbing effort rather than a repeated attack. If the steepest ramp forces you above target, keep the spike short and return to rhythm quickly. The goal is not to win the steepest section. It is to arrive near the summit still able to hold pressure on the pedals.

Gearing and riding feel

Bring gearing that lets you keep cadence alive on gradients above the average. The 7.04% overall grade is manageable with standard climbing rhythm, but the 15.25% maximum is the reason to avoid over-gearing. If you are forced into a low-cadence grind too early, muscular fatigue will build before the altitude and length have done their work.

Paso de la Gloria rewards a compact, efficient style: stay seated when possible, shift before the steepest changes bite, and avoid chasing short-term speed. The profile is demanding because it combines length, elevation gain, and a sharp maximum gradient. Treat it as a sustained climb with a sting rather than a steady tempo ramp, and the pacing plan becomes much clearer.