VAM and Climbing Speed

VAM and Climbing Speed

VAM (Velocità Ascensionale Media - average ascent speed) measures climbing rate in vertical meters per hour.

Calculating VAM

• VAM = (elevation gain in meters ÷ time in hours)
• Example: 1000m climb in 40 minutes = 1500 VAM
• Correlates strongly with W/kg and performance level

VAM Performance Benchmarks

• 1850+ VAM: WorldTour climber, suspected doping era
• 1750-1850 VAM: Elite professional climber
• 1650-1750 VAM: Professional level
• 1550-1650 VAM: Strong amateur racer
• 1400-1550 VAM: Competitive amateur
• 1200-1400 VAM: Recreational cyclist

VAM to W/kg Conversion

VAM ≈ W/kg × 300 (rough approximation). A rider doing 1500 VAM likely has ~5.0 W/kg. This varies by gradient - steeper climbs favor lighter riders with higher W/kg relative to VAM.

Using VAM for Analysis

• Compare performances across different climbs
• Identify suspicious performances (doping detection)
• Track improvement on repeated climbs
• Predict time required for climbs in race planning