Alto de las Juntas

Overview

Alto de las Juntas is a long, patient category 1 climb that rewards diesel legs over explosive power. From a start elevation of 461 m it stretches 30.1 km to a summit of 1924 m, delivering 1463 m of net elevation gain. The average gradient of 4.86% sounds gentle, but averages lie on a climb this long: buried in the profile is a 22.36% wall that will spike your heart rate no matter how measured your effort. With a total ascent of 1470 m, the difference against net gain is small, so this is very nearly a one-way road to the sky with only the faintest respite.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The math tells the story of the shape. Over 30.1 km you climb 1463 m net, which sets the 4.86% headline. But the max gradient of 22.36% is more than four and a half times that average, so the road cannot possibly hold a steady pitch. Expect long stretches noticeably shallower than 4.86% to balance out the brutal pinch that reaches 22.36%. Because total ascent (1470 m) exceeds net gain (1463 m) by only 7 m, there is barely any downhill to recover on — nearly every metre you gain, you keep. That makes this a climb of rhythm punctuated by one or more sharp, seated-and-suffering ramps.

Pacing Notes

On a 30.1 km effort, discipline beats bravado. Ride the shallow kilometres at a sustainable tempo and treat the 22.36% ramp as a brief, unavoidable tax rather than a place to prove anything. Anchor your pacing to your FTP: the flatter sections should sit comfortably below threshold so you bank the reserves you will spend on the steep pitch. If you do not know your threshold, run the numbers through the FTP estimator before you commit to a target. With 1463 m to gain and 4.86% averaged out, going too hard in the first third is the classic error — the mountain gives you plenty of road to pay for it.

Gearing

The 4.86% average is spinnable for most riders, but the 22.36% max gradient is what dictates your setup. On a ramp that steep, after nearly 30 km of climbing, you want the smallest gear you can carry. A compact 34-tooth chainring paired with a wide cassette is the sensible baseline. A 34×32 will get many strong riders over the pinch, but if you weigh more, ride loaded, or simply want to protect your knees across a 1463 m ascent, step up to 34×34. Given the length and that vicious 22.36% wall, err toward the easier ratio — you will never regret having 34×34 in reserve.

Summary

Alto de las Juntas is a true endurance climb: 30.1 km, 1463 m of net gain, and a 4.86% average that hides a genuinely nasty 22.36% ramp. Pace it patiently, gear it generously, and respect its category 1 billing.

Length: 30.1 km
Average gradient: 4.86%
Max gradient: 22.36%
Start: 461 m
Summit: 1924 m
Net gain: 1463 m
Total ascent: 1470 m
Category: 1