Paso de Tres Quebradas

Paso de Tres Quebradas cycling climb profile

Paso de Tres Quebradas is not defined by a brutal average gradient. On paper, 22.3 km at 5.36% looks manageable for a category 1 climb. The real difficulty is how that workload is stacked: it starts at 4023 m, finishes at 5217 m, and gains 1194 m net elevation, with 1201 m of total ascent. That tiny difference between net gain and total ascent matters. This is effectively a sustained uphill effort with very little structural relief.

That makes the climb less about surviving one famous wall and more about preventing a long fade. The average gradient is steady enough to tempt riders into riding tempo early, but the altitude and the 16.92% maximum gradient punish any pacing that assumes the climb will stay polite.

How the gradient rides

The profile numbers point to a climb that is broadly sustained, but not uniform. A 5.36% average over 22.3 km means the climb asks for continuous pressure on the pedals, while the 16.92% maximum gradient tells you there are pitches sharp enough to break cadence if you arrive under-geared or already above threshold.

Because the total ascent is only slightly higher than the net elevation gain, do not expect meaningful descending sections to reset the legs. Any easing in gradient should be treated as a place to stabilise breathing and bring torque down, not as recovery you can bank on.

Pacing strategy

The main mistake is riding the first half like a normal 5% climb. Starting at 4023 m changes the cost of every acceleration. Even if the gradient feels controlled, the physiological ceiling is lower than it would be at low elevation, and the summit at 5217 m means the final section is where poor pacing becomes expensive.

Ride this as a long aerobic climb with a strict cap early. If using power, anchor the effort below what you would normally target for a 22.3 km climb and adjust with perceived exertion as elevation increases. If using heart rate, be careful with lag: it may not respond quickly enough to warn you before the effort has already become too costly. For a refresher on setting realistic intensity, see /glossary/ftp.

Gearing notes

Gear for the 16.92% maximum gradient, not the 5.36% average. That is the practical takeaway. A setup that feels adequate on the lower-gradient sections can become restrictive once a steep pitch arrives after sustained climbing at altitude.

Prioritise a low gear that lets you keep cadence under control without standing and spiking power. The goal is not to attack the steepest ramps. It is to pass through them without turning a steady category 1 climb into repeated anaerobic efforts. On Paso de Tres Quebradas, restraint is not conservative. It is the fastest way to keep the final kilometres from becoming survival riding.