The route starts at the water's edge at Jasybai, 399 metres up in the granite country of the Kazakh uplands, and begins climbing almost immediately. The first four kilometres are patient — three to four percent. Then the road remembers there's a pass to cross. The last kilometre and a half to the summit averages 8.5%, holds close to 10% through its steepest half-kilometre, and pitches to nearly 12% before releasing you onto the top at 601 metres.

That's where the ride changes hands. Everything you earned on the way up gets spent over nine kilometres of open descent toward Sabyndykol. The gradient eases as the frigid lake comes into view.