# Pro Climbing Speed?



## bmxhacksaw (Mar 26, 2008)

What kind of mph are the pros doing on long climbs around 5-6% grade?


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## Allez Rouge (Jan 1, 1970)

Faster than you ...? Definitely faster than me.

Watching one of the TdF mountain stages a couple-few years back, I concluded/calculated that they were averaging somewhere around 15mph on grades in that range. I don't remember exactly how I arrived at that conclusion. I do remember being impressed.


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## HIMEHEEM (Sep 25, 2009)

Two weeks ago I drove lead car for a womems 1/2 race. On a +/- 2 mile climb of 5-6%, I had to go 20+ to stay in front of the surges. (P.S. during the climb these gals were caught and passed by the 1/2 men.)


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## spade2you (May 12, 2009)

Depends on who and the importance of that hill, among many other variables. Faster than us? Sure.


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## muscleendurance (Jan 11, 2009)

about 18mph at a high tempo forcing the pace. as a comparison in the TT on alpe dhuez the leaders on GC were doing 14mph+ on an 8% grade for 40min


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## muscleendurance (Jan 11, 2009)

they go up faster than some riders are capable of coming down!


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## bahueh (May 11, 2004)

I think I've heard between 18-20+ with attacks and surges on "typical" pyrennes and alps stages (6-8%)...averaging 15-18mph probably..something like that...I can hold that pace for around 200 yards when I'm in shape....they do it for mile after mile...


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## Keeping up with Junior (Feb 27, 2003)

*Math*

You should be able to look at what gear they are in and count their cadence then using the magic of math get a good idea.



Allez Rouge said:


> I concluded/calculated that...
> ...I don't remember exactly how...


Did you forget the approach or how to do math?


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## wim (Feb 28, 2005)

Fastest pros go up the 9-mile Alpe d'Huez (7.9% average grade) in about 38 minutes = 14.2 mph average speed.


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## nOOky (Mar 20, 2009)

Goodness over a 1 mile 8% average grade hill I can only hold 10 mph. Of course I'm fat and slow and work at a job 9 hours a day. I wonder how much epo would help an average joe like me?


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## harry2110 (Feb 27, 2010)

I have only been able to hold 15 on a 7% for about 2 miles and have been and 21-23 on a 9% .5 hill this is with doing 12K miles a year.


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