Alto de Bocos

Overview

Alto de Bocos is a category 3 ascent that stretches over 8.3 km, gaining 385 m of net elevation as the road lifts you from a start point of 366 m to a summit at 751 m. With an average gradient of 4.66%, it sits firmly in the "steady tempo" bracket rather than the leg-breaking category — but the 8.87% maximum tells you the climb is not perfectly smooth. This is a rhythm climb with teeth, long enough to reward pacing discipline and gentle enough that overcooking the early kilometres is the real danger.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The headline number is that 4.66% average, but averages hide the story. Across 8.3 km the road delivers a total ascent of 366 m, and the gap between the 4.66% mean and the 8.87% maximum is where the character lives. Expect the profile to breathe: stretches sitting near or below the average, punctuated by ramps that roughly double the effort and drift toward that near-9% ceiling. Because the net gain of 385 m closely tracks the total ascent of 366 m, there is very little false flat or descent hidden in the middle — the climb keeps pointing upward almost the whole way, so the elevation you win, you keep.

Pacing Notes

Treat Bocos as a sustained tempo effort. On a 4.66% average grade a rider can hold a smooth aerobic pace, so anchor your effort to power rather than the fluctuating slope. Aim to spend the shallow sections just under your FTP and let the steeper ramps toward 8.87% nudge you briefly above it, rather than surging early and paying for it near the 751 m summit. If you do not know your threshold, run the numbers through the FTP estimator before you plan the effort — it turns an 8.3 km climb into a repeatable, measurable target instead of a guessing game. The trap here is the modest average: it tempts you to attack the opening kilometres, leaving nothing for the pitches near the top.

Gearing

For a climb averaging 4.66% with ramps reaching 8.87%, most riders will be comfortable on a compact setup. A 34×32 bottom gear is a sensible starting point and will let you spin the steeper sections without grinding. If you favour a higher cadence, carry weight, or simply want insurance for the near-9% pitches after 8.3 km of climbing, a 34×34 gives you extra breathing room and keeps your legs fresh for the summit. Neither is overkill on a category 3 climb — the goal is to stay seated and rhythmic through the ramps rather than muscling over them.

Summary

Alto de Bocos is an honest, well-shaped category 3 climb: long enough to matter at 8.3 km, steady at 4.66%, but with an 8.87% bite that keeps you honest. Pace to power, gear compact, and the 385 m of gain up to 751 m becomes a satisfying tempo effort rather than a survival slog.

Length: 8.3 km
Average gradient: 4.66%
Max gradient: 8.87%
Start: 366 m
Summit: 751 m
Net gain: 385 m
Total ascent: 366 m
Category: 3