Originally Posted by
Mondo734
The ride I frequently do with the largest climb in 42 miles long and has 686ft of elevation gain. with nearly all of it comming in the last 20 miles. The largest hill doesnt even register as a cat5 hill. I am under the assumption thats the lowest rating and they go up to cat1; please tell me if I am wrong.
You are wrong.
Also the Hors categorie...tougher than cat 1
Hors catégorie is a French term used in cycle races (most notably, the Tour de France) to designate a climb that is "beyond categorization", an incredibly tough climb. Most climbs in cycling are designated from Category 1 (hardest) to Category 4 (easiest), based on both steepness and length. A climb that is harder than Category 1 is designated as hors catégorie. The term was originally used for those mountain roads where cars were not expected to be able to pass.