A Gabanceira

Overview

A Gabanceira is a long, patient climb — 15.5 km of road that lifts you from 352 m at its base to a summit of 850 m. That is a net gain of 498 m, and the total ascent logs 467 m, telling you the road climbs almost relentlessly with barely a metre given back to descent. Averaging 3.2%, this is not a wall. It is an endurance climb, a category 3 effort where the challenge is rhythm and duration rather than raw steepness. The gap between the 498 m net gain and the 467 m of total ascent — just 31 m — confirms there are no real downhill breaks to reset your legs. You climb, and you keep climbing.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The headline number, 3.2%, undersells what your legs will feel in places. With a max gradient of 7.83%, the road is far from uniform: long stretches sit gently below the average, then a single pitch stiffens to nearly 8% before easing again. Spread that 467 m of ascent across 15.5 km and you get a climb that breathes — shallow ramps that let you roll, punctuated by that steeper bite. The smart read is to treat the average as your baseline and expect the gradient to swing a few points either side of 3.2% for most of the way, saving something for the 7.83% maximum wherever it lands.

Pacing Notes

On a climb this long, pacing beats power spikes. Because A Gabanceira sits at a modest average, most riders can hold a tempo effort — comfortably below threshold — for the full 15.5 km. Anchor your effort to your FTP: aim to sit in a sustainable band beneath it on the shallow sections, and let your effort rise toward threshold only across the 7.83% pitch. If you do not know your number, run the FTP estimator before you ride so your target watts are grounded rather than guessed. Over 498 m of gain, going out too hard early is the classic mistake — the climb is long enough to punish it.

Gearing

The gearing question here is about cadence over the distance, not survival on a wall. A compact chainring paired with a wide-range cassette is ideal. A 34×32 will comfortably carry most riders through the steeper 7.83% section while keeping your legs spinning on the long shallow stretches. If you favour a higher cadence, prefer to stay seated, or expect to arrive at the climb with fatigue in your legs, a 34×34 gives you that extra margin to protect your knees across the full 15.5 km. Either choice keeps you turning smoothly rather than grinding.

Summary

A Gabanceira is a rhythm climb: 15.5 km, 498 m of net gain, and a friendly 3.2% average broken only by a 7.83% maximum. Meter your effort, gear for cadence, and let the length — not the slope — be the thing you respect.

Length: 15.5 km
Average gradient: 3.2%
Max gradient: 7.83%
Start: 352 m
Summit: 850 m
Net gain: 498 m
Total ascent: 467 m
Category: 3