Alto de las Cruces

Overview

Alto de las Cruces is a Category 1 climb in Colombia (CO), and its scale earns that rating despite a modest-sounding average gradient. Over 41.6 km it delivers a net elevation gain of 1,314 m, lifting you from a start elevation of 2,060 m to a summit at 3,374 m. That is a long day at altitude, with the entire effort sitting well above 2,000 m from the first pedal stroke.

The number that reshapes this climb is total ascent: 2,562 m against a net gain of just 1,314 m. That gap means roughly 1,248 m of climbing is "extra" — ground you gain and then give back across descents and false flats before regaining it. The 3.16% average is an accounting figure, not a lived one. You will climb far more than the net profile suggests, and the repeated shedding of altitude makes even-effort pacing harder to hold than a smooth, steady grind of the same length.

How the Gradient Unfolds

An average of 3.16% across 41.6 km tells you almost nothing about the road under your wheels. With 2,562 m of total ascent, the profile is heavily undulating: pitches that bite hard, then release into flats or descents that reset your rhythm. The steepest recorded ramp is severe — a wall you must be geared and warned for, not one you can muscle over in the moment.

• Flatter and recovery sections where the road eases or drops, letting you spin and refuel
• Repeated short climbs stacked back to back, each re-earning altitude you just lost
• A single steepest ramp that dwarfs the average and dictates your smallest gear

Pacing Notes

On a climb this undulating, chase even effort, not even speed. Your pace will swing wildly — fast on the flatter shed sections, slow on the ramps — and that is correct. Anchor the day to a sustainable power output you can hold for a multi-hour effort at altitude, and let speed float around it. Resist the urge to hammer the steep pitches into the red; the descents and false flats between them are where you recover, so surging costs you twice.

If you do not know your ceiling, run the numbers through the FTP estimator before you go, then ride the ramps a touch below that figure to leave headroom for the back half.

Gearing

The steepest ramp governs your setup, and it is steep enough that you should not improvise. Fit a compact or sub-compact chainset paired with a wide-range cassette — a 34×32 or 34×34 low gear gives you a cadence you can turn on the worst pitch without cross-loading your knees at altitude. Check your chainrings and cassette before the ride, not at the base of the wall. Confirm the derailleur handles your largest sprocket cleanly so you are never caught grinding a gear that is too tall.

Summary

• Length: 41.6 km
• Average gradient: 3.16%
• Net elevation gain: 1,314 m
• Total ascent: 2,562 m
• Category: 1

Alto de las Cruces is a climb defined by its undulation, not its average. Respect the gap between 1,314 m of net gain and 2,562 m of total ascent, gear for the steepest ramp, and pace to sustainable effort — and this long Colombian Category 1 rewards you at 3,374 m.