We call the Stelvio, at 2,758 metres, ‘the roof of Italy’. And the Galibier? That, at 2,642 metres, is the highlight of many a Tour edition. But put those figures next to what asphalt there is in South America and Hawaii. Recently, in Colombia, there has been tight asphalt up to above 4,100 metres. That is new.
Alto del Sifón, new paved climb
The Alto del Sifón climbs from the valley of the Magdalena River, at an altitude of about 350 metres, all the way to 4,149 metres on the flanks of the Nevado del Ruiz volcano. That's over 100 kilometres uphill. Not a typical Alpine climb of an hour and a half, but eight to 10 hours of non-stop pedalling. Incidentally, this climb is a stone's throw (big throw, small stone) from the more famous Alto de Letras, another monster in our top 10.
Alto El Sifón, Lérida, Colombia
- Distance: 87.9 km, Elevation difference: 3918 m, Average gradient: 4.8 %
You start in tropical heat, ride past coffee plantations where the smell is in your nostrils, and end in the páramo: a barren, thin plateau where the temperature hovers around 2 to 3 degrees. The average gradient of 4.5% sounds friendly, but after 80 kilometres and with 40% less oxygen in the air, it's tough. This is no ‘coffee ride’ with which to start your holiday.
What do we count?
Before we dive into the lists: what do we actually mean by ‘highest asphalted climb’? Our criteria: the road must be fully asphalted ánd rideable on a regular road bike. No gravel lanes halfway up, no closed military roads. Roads that are seasonally closed (such as Pico Veleta above 2,500 metres) do count, as long as they are freely accessible to cyclists during the summer season.
This provides immediate discussion. Mauna Kea in Hawaii reaches over 4,200 metres, but has a substantial gravel strip in between. Mount Evans in Colorado is technically paved, but the road quality is questionable on some stretches. We include them, with a side note.
Top 10 highest paved climbs in the world
| Grade | Climb | Location | Height | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Punta Olimpica | Peru | 4.736 m | Highest paved trans-Andes tunnel |
| 2 | Yanashalla Pass | Peru | 4.720 m | Remote, brutal wind |
| 3 | Mount Evans | Colorado, USA | 4.306 m | Highest paved road North America |
| 4 | Pikes Peak | Colorado, USA | 4.302 m | Fully asphalted since 2011 |
| 5 | Mauna Kea | Hawaii, USA | 4.205 m | Partly gravel (7 km), rest asphalt |
| 6 | Alto del Sifón | Colombia | 4.149 m | Longest continuous climb in the world |
| 7 | Alto de Letras | Colombia | 3.677 m | Previous record holder in terms of length (80 km) |
| 8 | Mauna Loa | Hawaii, USA | 3.397 m | Endless shield volcano |
| 9 | Pico Veleta | Spain | 3.396 m | Europe's highest paved road |
| 10 | Tiefenbachferner | Austria | 2.829 m | Highest paved road in the Alps |
What stands out: the Andes and the volcanoes of Hawaii dominate. Europe only comes into the picture at spot 9. That says something about our scale here.
For climbs in Peru and Colombia, plan for acclimatisation. Above 4,000 metres, your body is only delivering about 60% of the power you pedal at sea level. On the Yanashalla Pass, riders from the BikingMan peloton cycle at 100 to 150 watts where they normally do 250.
Top 10 highest paved climbs in Europe
Closer to home, and for most of us the actual field of action.
| Grade | Climb | Country | Height | Character |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pico Veleta | Spain | 3.396 m | Above 2,500 m car-free, lunar landscape |
| 2 | Tiefenbachferner | Austria | 2.829 m | Glacier road with Europe's highest tunnel |
| 3 | Cime de la Bonette | France | 2.802 m | Loop built around the top for the record |
| 4 | Col de l'Iseran | France | 2.770 m | Highest asphalted mountain pass in the Alps |
| 5 | Passo dello Stelvio | Italy | 2.758 m | 48 hairpin bends, iconic |
| 6 | Kaunertal Glacier | Austria | 2.750 m | 29 tornanti, average 10% |
| 7 | Colle dell'Agnello | Italy/France | 2.744 m | Cross-border, brutal finale |
| 8 | Passo Gavia | Italy | 2.652 m | Narrow, rough, infamous Giro weather |
| 9 | Col du Galibier | France | 2.642 m | Queen of the Alps |
| 10 | Colle del Nivolet | Italy | 2.632 m | Gran Paradiso, for licking your fingers |
Many of these roads are dead-end glacier roads or access roads to ski resorts. This makes them different from continuous passes: you cycle up, turn around, and descend the same road again.
Practical: three basecamp options
| Base of operations | Target climb(s) | Facilities | Best season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Granada (Spain) | Pico Veleta | Bike shops, tapas, guarded garages | April-June, Sept-Oct |
| Sölden (Austria) | Tiefenbachferner, Kaunertaler | Hotels with bikeroom, Kaiserschmarrn | June-September |
| Bormio (Italy) | Stelvio, Gavia | Pizza, thermal bath, compact old town | June-September |
For anything above 2,500 metres, bring warm gloves, even in July. And choose your gear liberally: a compact (50/34) with at least a 32-tooth rear. On the Kaunertaler with its 10% average, you'll need that.
The perspective
The Alto del Sifón is one of the top 10 highest asphalted climbs in the world. Not so much in terms of altitude, as Peru still goes higher, but the combination of length (105 km), altitude (4,149 m) and perfect new asphalt is unique. For us Europeans, Pico Veleta remains the most accessible way to cycle above 3,000 metres on tarmac roads.
Have you ever cycled above 3,000 metres, or do you know of a paved altitude road we missed? We'd love to hear about it.
