Alt de Arteas

Overview

Alt de Arteas is a short climb that gives you nowhere to hide. Over just 1.8 km it averages 8.57%, and the steepest ramp reaches 8.75% — numbers so close together that the whole ascent essentially holds one punishing pitch from bottom to top. You start at 746 m and finish at 898 m, a summit gain of 152 m earned in barely more than a kilometre and a half of road. Officially graded category 3, it is the kind of effort that rewards riders who can commit to a hard, sustained push rather than those hoping to recover on flatter interludes.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The defining feature of Arteas is its consistency. With an average of 8.57% and a maximum of only 8.75%, there is less than a quarter of a percent separating the typical slope from the hardest one. That means no false flats, no sharp switchback spikes, and no merciful dips — the gradient simply pins itself just below 9% and stays there.

From the 746 m start, the road climbs steadily toward 898 m, and because the pitch never eases, the climb feels longer than its 1.8 km. There is no tactical shape to read here: the challenge is holding a single high effort the whole way up. The steepest stretch at 8.75% will feel almost identical to everything around it, which is both the mercy and the cruelty of Arteas.

Pacing Notes

Because the gradient is so uniform, pacing is simpler than on climbs with rolling profiles — but the margin for error is thin. Set an effort you can hold for the full 1.8 km and resist the urge to surge early. On a wall this steady, your FTP is the honest ceiling: ride just under it if you want to arrive at the summit intact, or press right at it if you are racing the clock.

At 8.57% average, even small changes in power translate into big changes in speed, so smoothness matters more than aggression. If you are unsure what wattage you can sustain across a short, sharp climb like this, run the numbers through the FTP estimator before you commit to a target. Start slightly conservative through the first third, then let the effort build as the 898 m summit comes into range.

Gearing

A climb averaging 8.57% over 1.8 km demands compact-friendly gearing. For most riders, a 34×32 is the sensible baseline — it lets you spin the sustained grade rather than grind it, keeping your cadence up and your legs fresh enough to hold power to the top. If you tend to climb at a lower cadence, prefer to sit and turn a big cassette, or expect to arrive at Arteas with fatigue in your legs, step up to a 34×34. The extra range costs you nothing on a climb this steep and buys valuable insurance against the moments the 8.75% ramp starts to bite.

Summary

Alt de Arteas is a compact, honest climb: 1.8 km of near-constant gradient that never lets you settle. It asks for a single committed effort and rewards steady pacing and generous gearing.

Length: 1.8 km
Average gradient: 8.57%
Max gradient: 8.75%
Start: 746 m
Summit: 898 m
Net gain: 152 m
Total ascent: 125 m
Category: 3