Alto de La Piñuela

Overview

Alto de La Piñuela is a Category 2 climb that trades length for pure intensity. At just 3.2 km it never overstays its welcome, but the 8.81% average gradient means there is nowhere to hide from the moment the road tilts up. You start at 616 m and finish at 900 m, and while the net elevation gain reads 284 m, the total ascent of 246 m tells you this is a climb that pitches up hard and stays there rather than rolling. With a max gradient of 14.49%, La Piñuela is the kind of effort that lives at the sharp end of a Category 2 rating — short enough to attack, steep enough to punish anyone who gets the maths wrong.

How the Gradient Unfolds

Think of La Piñuela as a compact, relentless ramp. Across 3.2 km the average of 8.81% is already well into the range where most riders shift toward their easiest sprockets, and the spread between that average and the 14.49% maximum signals meaningful surges. Those steep pinches are where the climb bites: on a wall this short, a single 14.49% ramp can blow apart an otherwise steady rhythm. The gap between the 284 m net gain and the 246 m of total ascent is small, which confirms the profile climbs almost continuously — there are no significant descents or false flats to recover on. Expect to be working from bottom to top, with the hardest metres arriving in concentrated bursts rather than one long, even grind.

Pacing Notes

On a climb this steep and this short, pacing is about restraint at the base and commitment at the top. Anchor your effort to your FTP: sitting a touch above threshold is sustainable for a 3.2 km climb, but going deep into the red on an early 14.49% ramp will cost you far more than it gains. If you do not know your threshold, run the numbers through the FTP estimator before your first attempt so you can set a realistic target power. The smart approach is to meter your effort through the steepest pinches, keep your cadence from collapsing, and save any surplus for the final stretch toward the 900 m summit — where the 284 m of accumulated climbing will already be in your legs.

Gearing

At 8.81% average with ramps to 14.49%, gearing is not a luxury on La Piñuela — it is the difference between spinning and grinding to a halt. A compact 34-tooth chainring is the sensible front, and for the cassette a 34×32 is the minimum most riders will want under them. If you weigh more, ride at a lower cadence, or simply want insurance against those 14.49% pinches over 3.2 km, step up to a 34×34. That extra sprocket keeps your cadence alive on the steepest metres and protects your knees across the full 246 m of ascent. When in doubt on a short, steep climb like this, choose the easier gear — you can always push a bigger one, but you cannot invent range you did not fit.

Summary

Alto de La Piñuela is a Category 2 climb that punches above its length. Short, steep, and unrelenting, it rewards riders who respect the 14.49% ramps early and finish strong at 900 m. Bring low gearing, meter your effort against your FTP, and treat all 3.2 km as one continuous effort.

Length: 3.2 km
Average gradient: 8.81%
Max gradient: 14.49%
Start: 616 m
Summit: 900 m
Net gain: 284 m
Total ascent: 246 m
Category: 2