Luz Ardiden

At an average cycling pace, Luz Ardiden takes between 56 and 78 minutes to complete. The 13km climb with its 7.8% average gradient means riders with a higher FTP can push the pace significantly. In Climb Quest, your actual time depends on your real power output.

A moderate FTP of around 185W (watts) is a reasonable starting point for Luz Ardiden. However, the climb has sections reaching 12% gradient, so a higher FTP will make those sections much more manageable. Beginners can still attempt it — just at a slower pace.

The maximum gradient on Luz Ardiden reaches 12%, which is significantly steeper than the 7.8% average. These sections require the most power and are where riders typically need to shift to their easiest gears. Climb Quest shows the full gradient profile so you can plan where to conserve energy.

Yes — Luz Ardiden is available in Climb Quest for any FTMS-compatible smart trainer (Wahoo KICKR, Tacx NEO, Elite Suito, and more). The app automatically adjusts resistance to match the real-world gradient at every point of the 13km climb, giving you an authentic simulation of riding outdoors in France.

Yes — every time you finish Luz Ardiden in Climb Quest, you earn a scratch card trophy for this climb. Rub the card to reveal your rarity tier: Standard, Bronze (top 50%), Silver (top 25%), Gold (top 10% after 10+ attempts), or the ultra-rare Legendary Holographic (beat the climb record or reach the top 1% after 100+ attempts). Your card is added to your personal Trophy Cabinet.

Luz Ardiden is part of the Climb Quest world climb library, and is featured in the TDF Legends collection . Complete all climbs in a collection to earn that collection's badge. Build your Trophy Cabinet and prove you conquered some of the world's greatest climbs.