Hogsback Pass is a climb of 14.5 kilometers (hors catégorie). Hogsback Pass tops out at 1,429 m above sea level. It is located in Nkonkobe Local Municipality, Eastern Cape, South Africa. The average gradient is 5.5% with a maximum of 12%. The climb has 802 meters of elevation gain.
Difficulty breakdown: The Hogsback climb (14.5 km at 6%) is a demanding HC ascent. Its difficulty lies in its irregularity: after a moderate start (km 0-4 at 1-5%), the gradient ramps up sharply through a very tough central section (km 5-10, with stretches at 7% and a peak of 9% at km 8). A short breather at km 10-11 (3%) is followed by a sustained finale (km 11-14.5 at 6-7%).
Pacing advice:
1. Managing your effort in the middle section: Don't burn matches on the early, gentler kilometres. Keep something in the tank for the toughest stretch (km 5-10), especially the kilometre at 9%.
2. Making the most of the recovery sections: Use the easier gradients (km 2-4 and km 10-11) to ease off slightly and recover without losing too much time.
3. Preparing for the finale: The gradient stays steep over the last 3 km (6-7%). Don't go full gas too early, and hold a steady output all the way to the summit.
14.5 km • 802 m D+
VAM: average climbing speed, based on elevation gain
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