Alto de Comijoque

Overview

Alto de Comijoque is an HC-category ascent in Colombia, one of the long, high-altitude efforts that define riding in the Andes. It runs 28.3 km from a start elevation of 1,059 m to a summit at 2,981 m, for a net elevation gain of 1,922 m. On paper it averages 6.8% — steady enough to sound manageable, long enough to demand real respect.

The number that reshapes the effort is total ascent: 3,140 m against a net gain of 1,922 m. That 1,218 m gap is climbing you do twice, over rollers and dips that give elevation back before taking it again. You are not climbing a ramp; you are grinding out far more vertical than the summit height suggests, and every metre of descent between pitches is metre you have to re-earn.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The 6.8% average is a blend, not a constant. On an undulating climb like this, the mean hides both the recovery sections that let you breathe and the ramps that spike well into the teens and beyond — the steepest pitch here hits 26.87%. Ride the average and the steep ramps will bury you.

• Flatter and false-flat sections where the road eases and you can spin and eat
• Short descents that reset your legs but add to total ascent later
• Repeated punchy climbs stacked back to back through the middle
• A brutal maximum ramp at 26.87% that demands your lowest gear

Pacing Notes

On an undulating climb, chase even effort, not even speed. Your pace will swing constantly as the gradient rolls, and that is correct — hold a steady, sustainable power output through the flatter stretches and the ramps alike rather than trying to keep a fixed mph. Going too hard on the early pitches leaves nothing for the repeated climbs later.

Before you ride, know your ceiling. Use the FTP estimator to anchor a target you can hold for the length of the effort, then ride just under it on the steep sections so the 26.87% ramp does not force you over the edge.

Gearing

The 26.87% maximum pitch governs your setup, not the 6.8% average. On a gradient that steep, sitting at altitude, you want a compact or sub-compact chainset paired with a wide-range cassette — think 34×32 or 34×34 as a minimum. Anything narrower and you will be grinding a cadence low enough to stall or blow your legs on the ramp. Check your chainset and cassette before the ride, and confirm the derailleur handles the largest sprocket; discovering you are over-geared partway up an HC climb is not a mistake you can fix on the road.

Summary

• Length: 28.3 km
• Average gradient: 6.8%
• Maximum gradient: 26.87%
• Net elevation gain: 1,922 m
• Total ascent: 3,140 m
• Category: HC

Alto de Comijoque earns its HC rating on length and total workload rather than a single relentless wall. Respect the 1,218 m of extra climbing hidden in the rollers, gear low for the 26.87% ramp, and pace to effort — do that and the summit at 2,981 m is yours.