Pascua Lama is a climb of 222.7 kilometers (hors catégorie). Pascua Lama tops out at 4,968 m above sea level. It is located in Huasco Bajo, Región de Atacama, Chile. The average gradient is 3.1% with a maximum of 16.8%. The climb has 6831 meters of elevation gain.
Difficulty breakdown: At 222.7 km with 6,831 m of elevation gain, this climb is extremely long, but its average gradient of 3% is moderate. The challenge lies in its length and uneven profile. The first 70 km are very gentle (mostly 0-2% gradients), followed by roughly 100 km of more rolling terrain (2-4%). The real difficulty starts after KM 185, with a final section of nearly 40 km at steep gradients (6-11%), especially brutal between KM 199 and KM 205, where the gradient stays above 10% the whole way.
Pacing advice:
1. Pace management: Ride at an easy endurance effort (Zones 1-2) for the first 180 km. Avoid any unnecessary surges so you save your legs for the tough finale.
2. Prepare for the final section: From KM 185 on, be mentally and physically ready for sustained steep gradients. Keep some energy and fluid in reserve for this decisive stretch.
3. Strategic fueling: The distance demands a disciplined approach to nutrition and hydration. Eat and drink regularly from the start, even if the effort feels easy.
222.7 km • 6831 m D+
VAM: average climbing speed, based on elevation gain
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