- Ascent
- 1733 hm
- Distance Ascent
- 25.1 km
- max. gradient
- 12 %
- ø gradient
- 6.9 %
The Col du Sanetsch from Conthey is an HC climb of 25.1 km with 1,733 m of elevation gain at an average of 6.9 %, peaking at 12 %. The road climbs out of the Rhône valley to 2,252 m, and the way back is the same road. The last ten kilometres are the hardest, at around 8 % on average.
Climb Goals: Pure Data Edition DIN A1 poster
Bucket-List Print: Col du Sanetsch
With the Col du Sanetsch the numbers speak first: from Conthey in the Rhône valley it is 25.1 kilometres and 1,733 metres of climbing up to 2,252 metres. Only ten climbs in our list have more elevation gain. On top of that comes a profile that gets harder rather than easier towards the end. It is a climb you plan for, not one you ride on the side.
The Col du Sanetsch at a glance
The key figures from Conthey: category HC, 25.1 km, 1,733 m of climbing, 6.9 % on average and 12 % at its steepest. The road leaves the Rhône valley heading north and climbs to the pass at 2,252 m. The only way back is the same road, start and finish are both in Conthey. In our list the Sanetsch belongs to the Western Alps region.
The climb from Conthey
The first ten kilometres are uneven: sections between 6 and 8 % alternate with clearly flatter stretches, and three kilometres even stay below 3 %. Then comes the first hard block. Around kilometres eleven and twelve the gradient sits at about 10 %, and only after roughly kilometre 14 is there one more short, flatter section.
The last ten kilometres average around 8 % and are the real test. This is also where the steepest kilometre of the whole climb sits, roughly eight kilometres below the top. After it, sections of 9 to 10 % alternate with slightly calmer ones, and it never really flattens out again. If you went too fast early on, this is where you notice.
How it compares to our 100 climbs
With 1,733 m of climbing the Sanetsch is one of the big ones: only ten climbs in the list have more, four of the 30 in the Western Alps. It is also high up on finishing height, with 23 climbs ending above 2,252 m. With a 6.9 % average and a 12 % peak, on the other hand, it sits in the middle of the field. A good comparison is the Passo dello Stelvio: almost the same length at 24.9 km, with 1,844 m of climbing at 7.4 %.
Practical tips
A compact gearing is worth it on the Sanetsch, mainly for the steep middle part and the ramps in the last third. Start and finish are both in Conthey, so the ride is an out and back. The top is more than 1,700 metres above the start, so expect a big temperature difference between the Rhône valley and the pass. A warm layer for the long descent belongs in your pocket.
