Col du Lautaret

Col du Lautaret cycling climb profile

The Col du Lautaret is not defined by savage gradient. It is defined by duration, altitude, and the way a moderate average can quietly turn into a costly effort if you ride it as if the summit is closer than it is.

On paper, the climb is 13.4 km at an average gradient of 5.32%, starting at 1,349 m and topping out at 2,063 m. That makes it a long, aerobic ascent rather than a stop-start wall. The key number is the maximum gradient of 9.05%. That tells you the climb is not perfectly even, and that there are sections steep enough to punish over-gearing or early enthusiasm.

How the gradient rides

With 714 m of net elevation gain spread across 13.4 km, the Lautaret should be approached as a sustained tempo climb. The average is manageable, but it is still high enough that you are almost always working. There is not much tactical value in surging early unless you have a clear reason, because the climb’s difficulty comes from accumulation.

The 5.32% average means a strong rider can settle into a controlled rhythm and keep pressure on the pedals without constant gear changes. But the 9.05% maximum matters. Any climb with that spread between average and max has enough variation to disrupt a rider who is sitting right on the limit. If you are already above threshold when the steeper pitches arrive, the cost will compound quickly.

Pacing strategy

Ride the lower slopes below your target climbing intensity, not at it. The climb starts at 1,349 m and finishes at 2,063 m, so the final portion comes at an elevation where hard efforts tend to feel less forgiving. Even if the gradient is not extreme, the combination of length and elevation rewards restraint.

A good pacing model is simple:

• First phase: controlled, seated, no spikes
• Middle phase: lock into a sustainable rhythm around your planned climbing effort
• Final phase: use whatever margin remains, especially if the road tips toward the steeper end of the profile

If you pace by power, think in terms of a steady effort relative to /glossary/ftp rather than chasing speed. On a climb like this, speed will be shaped heavily by gradient and exposure, while power gives a cleaner read on effort.

Gearing notes

Do not gear this climb only for the 5.32% average. Gear it for the 9.05% maximum. Most riders will be better served by having one easier ratio than they expect to need, because it protects cadence when the gradient rises and keeps the effort aerobic for longer.

The best setup is one that lets you spin comfortably on sustained 5% to 6% gradients while still having room to stay seated if the road reaches its steepest pitches. If you are forced into a low-cadence grind too early, the Lautaret’s length will make that mistake show up well before the summit.