McGregor Pass

McGregor Pass cycling climb profile

McGregor Pass is a long, controlled category 2 effort rather than a short, violent test. The climb runs for 12.9 km, starting at 1022 m and topping out at 1567 m, with 545 m of net elevation gain. On paper, the average gradient of 4.23 percent makes it look manageable. The important detail is the 8.45 percent maximum gradient, because that tells you the climb is not just one smooth false-flat drag.

That combination shapes how it should be ridden. A climb averaging just over 4 percent allows speed to stay relatively high, so pacing errors can be harder to notice early. You can feel like you are rolling well while still riding above target power, especially if the road pitches up briefly and then relaxes again. The danger is not one decisive wall. It is the accumulation of small over-threshold efforts across nearly 13 km.

How the gradient unfolds

With the available profile stats, the safest read is that McGregor Pass climbs steadily from bottom to summit, but with enough variation to matter. The 4.23 percent average defines the main character of the road: aerobic, tempo-based, and sustainable for a well-paced rider. The 8.45 percent maximum shows that there are steeper ramps inside that average, and those ramps are where the climb can start to cost more than expected.

The practical implication is simple: do not pace McGregor Pass by feel alone from the bottom. On moderate gradients, perceived effort can lag behind the actual metabolic cost, particularly when speed is still decent. If you are using power, start below your target climbing output and let the effort build. If you are pacing from heart rate, expect some drift over a climb of this length and avoid chasing numbers too aggressively in the opening kilometres.

Pacing and gearing notes

For most riders, this is a climb to ride around upper endurance to tempo, with controlled moves toward /glossary/ftp only on the steeper pitches. Treat the 8.45 percent ramps as places to preserve cadence, not places to prove strength. If you surge every time the gradient lifts, the final third will feel much harder than the average gradient suggests.

Gearing should be chosen for flexibility. The average gradient does not demand extreme climbing gears, but the maximum gradient means you want at least one lower gear available to keep the pedals turning smoothly when the road steepens. A compact or endurance-oriented setup makes sense if you are riding it after accumulated fatigue or as part of a longer route.

The best approach is disciplined and boring in the right way: settle early, avoid spiking power on the ramps, and use the moderate sections to regain rhythm rather than accelerate. McGregor Pass rewards riders who keep the effort even across the full 12.9 km, not riders who mistake a manageable average gradient for an easy climb.