La Apagua is a climb of 52.9 kilometers (hors catégorie). La Apagua tops out at 3,995 m above sea level. It is located in Tingo, Cotopaxi, Ecuador. The average gradient is 7.5% with a maximum of 22.7%. The climb has 3978 meters of elevation gain.
Difficulty breakdown: With 3978m of elevation gain over 52.9km, this climb is extremely demanding. The average gradient of 7.5% is steep, but the real difficulty lies in the very steep sections, notably between km 15 and 17 (15% over 1km) and around km 29 (13%). The length and the uneven profile, with many stretches between 8% and 11%, make it a pure endurance test.
How to manage the effort:
1. Pace yourself from the start: The first few kilometres (2-4%) are deceptive. Don't go out too hard, save your legs for the steep ramps coming up.
2. Know the key sections: Identify the toughest parts (KM 15-17, KM 24-27, KM 29) and ease off the pace slightly before tackling them to keep your cadence steady.
3. Break it down mentally: Split the climb into 5km chunks. The gradient settles around 6-8% after KM 35, so you can find a more even rhythm in the final part.
52.9 km • 3978 m D+
VAM: average climbing speed, based on elevation gain
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