Col de la Cuarde

Overview

The Col de la Cuarde is an HC climb — hors catégorie, the hardest rating cycling uses — and its numbers explain why. Over 13.9 km it averages a punishing 9.98%, dragging you from a start elevation of 588 m up to a summit of 1979 m. That is 1391 m of net elevation gain, with 1368 m of total ascent, meaning the road barely relents from bottom to top. There is almost no false flat to hide in and no recovery descent to reset your legs. A max gradient of 24.77% waits somewhere on the way up, a wall that will force even strong climbers out of the saddle. This is a sustained, relentless test of climbing endurance rather than a series of separate efforts stitched together.

How the Gradient Unfolds

An average of 9.98% over 13.9 km is brutal in itself, but averages hide the shape of a climb. The gap between the 9.98% average and the 24.77% maximum tells you the road pitches well beyond double digits in places. When a climb gains 1391 m of net elevation but only 1368 m of total ascent, the descending and flat sections are negligible — practically every metre of forward progress is also a metre upward. Expect long stretches holding well into the teens, punctuated by ramps that spike toward that 24.77% peak. Because the summit sits at 1979 m, thinner air near the top compounds the difficulty of the steepest final kilometres, so the last third often feels harder than the raw gradient suggests.

Pacing Notes

On a climb this long and this steep, pacing is everything. The single biggest mistake is starting too hard on the lower ramps and blowing up before the summit. Anchor your effort to your FTP and resist chasing anyone who surges early. On sustained 9.98% terrain you will likely spend most of the climb at or just below threshold, dipping into your reserves only for the ramps toward 24.77%. If you do not know your threshold power, run the numbers through the FTP estimator before you attempt this. Fuel and hydrate early — with 1391 m to gain, the effort is measured in the tens of minutes, and glycogen management matters as much as raw watts.

Gearing

Do not under-gear this climb. A 34×32 is the bare minimum most riders should consider, and even that will feel tall when the road tips toward 24.77%. For anyone not racing, a 34×34 is the smarter choice — the extra range lets you keep a sustainable cadence through the steepest ramps instead of grinding at a low, knee-straining rpm. Given the sustained 9.98% average across 13.9 km, prioritising cadence over torque protects your legs for the full 1391 m of climbing. If your setup allows an even wider range than 34×34, this is exactly the kind of climb that justifies it.

Summary

The Col de la Cuarde earns its HC status honestly: 13.9 km of near-constant climbing at 9.98%, spiking to 24.77%, hauling you 1391 m upward to a 1979 m summit. Gear low, pace with discipline, and respect the length.

Length: 13.9 km
Average gradient: 9.98%
Max gradient: 24.77%
Start: 588 m
Summit: 1979 m
Net gain: 1391 m
Total ascent: 1368 m
Category: HC