Alto de Anagá

Overview

Alto de Anagá is a genuine hors catégorie test, the kind of climb you plan a whole ride around rather than stumble into. It runs 24.2 km from a start elevation of 1839 m to a summit at 3415 m, stacking up a net elevation gain of 1576 m along the way. The average gradient sits at 6.52%, which sounds civilised until you remember that number holds steady across nearly a full day's worth of climbing. This is an endurance problem before it is a power problem: the difficulty lives in the length and the altitude, not in any single savage wall.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The headline average of 6.52% hides a climb with real texture. With a maximum gradient of 16.78%, there are pitches here more than twice as steep as the mean, and those ramps arrive without much warning. Because the summit stands at 3415 m — 1576 m above where you clip in — the air keeps thinning as you go, so a 6.52% section near the top feels meaningfully harder than the same grade at the bottom.

The total ascent of 1539 m falls just short of the net gain of 1576 m, which tells you the road climbs almost relentlessly, with barely any descending or false-flat relief to recover on. Treat every steep pitch toward 16.78% as a moment to protect, not attack. Over 24.2 km, the riders who blow up are almost always the ones who spent matches early on grades that only looked easy.

Pacing Notes

On a climb this long, pacing is everything. Anchor your effort to your FTP and hold a percentage you can genuinely sustain for the full 24.2 km — this is not a climb you can bluff your way up. If you are unsure of your current number, run it through the FTP estimator before you commit to a target.

Aim to sit slightly below your threshold on the steadier 6.52%-ish stretches so you have headroom for the ramps toward 16.78%. As you climb past 3000 m toward the 3415 m summit, expect your sustainable output to drift downward with the altitude, so build that fade into your plan rather than fighting it.

Gearing

Gear for survival, not ego. With 24.2 km averaging 6.52% and spikes to 16.78%, you want a compact setup and a wide cassette. A 34×32 will get most fit riders up the steadier sections at a workable cadence, but for the 16.78% ramps — especially deep into the climb near 3415 m, where your legs and lungs are already taxed by altitude — a 34×34 gives you the extra spin to keep the pedals turning without cracking. If your bike accepts it, err toward the larger 34×34. Grinding a big gear over 1576 m of vertical is how good days turn into walking.

Summary

Alto de Anagá earns its HC rating through sheer scale: 24.2 km, 1576 m of net gain, a summit at 3415 m, and just enough steep ramps to punish poor pacing. Respect the length, gear low, and let the altitude dictate your ceiling.

Length: 24.2 km
Average gradient: 6.52%
Max gradient: 16.78%
Start: 1839 m
Summit: 3415 m
Net gain: 1576 m
Total ascent: 1539 m
Category: HC