Alto de la Nevera

Overview

Alto de la Nevera is a long, patient climb rather than a wall of pain. Over 21.5 km it lifts you from a valley floor at 462 m to a summit at 1360 m, a net gain of 898 m. The category-2 rating tells the story: this is a serious effort, harder than a 3 or 4 but short of the true hors-catégorie monsters. The defining number is the average gradient of 4.18%, which sounds gentle until you realise you hold it for well over an hour. Total ascent is measured at 890 m, meaning the road tips downward only slightly along the way — this is a climb that keeps pointing up.

How the Gradient Unfolds

With a 4.18% average stretched across 21.5 km, the shape matters more than the mean. A max gradient of 9.96% shows the ramps here roughly double the average, so expect stretches that force you out of rhythm and shorter recovery flatter sections that let you breathe. The gap between the 898 m net gain and the 890 m of total ascent is tiny, which confirms there is very little descending mixed in — you are almost always climbing. Read the road ahead: bank effort on the shallow pitches near 4%, and treat any approach toward that 9.96% spike as the moment to shift down early rather than grind over the top.

Pacing Notes

On a climb this long, pacing is everything. Aim to ride the bulk of the ascent just below your threshold — a sustainable tempo that leaves headroom for the steeper ramps toward 9.96%. If you know your FTP, target the flatter 4% sections at a percentage you can hold for the full 21.5 km rather than blowing apart in the first few kilometres. If you don't have a recent number, use the FTP estimator to set a realistic ceiling before you start. The mistake most riders make here is treating the gentle average as an invitation to push early; with 898 m of vertical to absorb, the climb rewards restraint and punishes ego.

Gearing

Because the effort is sustained rather than explosive, gearing choice is about protecting your cadence over the long haul. A compact 34-tooth chainring paired with a 34×32 low gear is a sensible baseline for most riders tackling that 9.96% max after 21.5 km of climbing. If you're carrying fatigue, riding at altitude toward the 1360 m summit, or simply prefer spinning, step up to a 34×34 for extra insurance on the steep pitches. Either setup lets you keep your legs turning smoothly through the ramps instead of muscling over them and paying for it later.

Summary

Alto de la Nevera is a rhythm climb: long, mostly steady, with just enough gradient variation near its 9.96% peak to keep you honest. Pace it below threshold, gear it to protect your cadence, and the 898 m of climbing becomes a satisfying test rather than a slog.

Length: 21.5 km
Average gradient: 4.18%
Max gradient: 9.96%
Start: 462 m
Summit: 1360 m
Net gain: 898 m
Total ascent: 890 m
Category: 2