Jabal al Khilal is a climb of 14.0 kilometers (hors catégorie). The climb finishes at 1,687 m above sea level. It is located in Maʿan, معان, الأردن. The average gradient is 5.0% with a maximum of 16.4%. The climb has 697 meters of elevation gain.
Difficulty analysis: At 14 km for 697 m of elevation gain and an average gradient of 5%, Jabal al Khilal is a demanding climb that gives you almost no respite. After a start at 6% then 5% over the first two kilometres, the road eases to 3% between km 3.0 and 7.0, before getting much steeper between km 7.0 and 11.0, with a 12% section over km 10.0-11.0. The finale, at 9% over km 12.0-13.0, makes it a test of endurance and effort management that justifies its beyond category rating.
Tips for pacing yourself:
1. Pace yourself from the start The first two kilometres at 6% then 5% tempt you to go too hard, so keep a steady cadence and arrive fresh at the foot of the steepest slopes.
2. Recover on the rolling sections Make the most of the descent over km 2.0-3.0 (-2%) and the false flat at 3% from km 3.0 to 7.0 to drink, eat and get your breathing back under control.
3. Tackle the wall at km 10.0-11.0 At 12%, drop onto an easy gear, stay seated and save something in the tank to face the 9% of km 12.0-13.0.
Those who have ridden the climb describe a beautiful mountain area, with a cold climate and strong winds. The scenery comes up again and again in their accounts.
The landscape is very varied, with plenty of water sources along the route. But it's a tough place to ride, especially in winter, and that matters for anyone heading out in those conditions.
The riders' accounts say nothing about the road surface, the traffic, or the resupply options. So we have to work from what was actually said: mountain scenery, cold, wind and a harsh winter.
14.0 km • 697 m D+
VAM: average climbing speed, based on elevation gain
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