Alto de las Neveras

Overview

Alto de las Neveras is a long, category 1 grind that rewards patience over power. At 20.3 km, it is the kind of climb you settle into rather than attack. The road starts at 727 m and tops out at 1852 m, giving a net elevation gain of 1125 m and a total ascent of 1138 m — the small gap between those two figures tells you the climb is almost relentlessly uphill, with only the faintest breaks in the grade.

The average gradient is a manageable-sounding 5.55%, but that number hides the climb's real character. With a maximum pitch of 21.55%, Neveras has moments that will empty your legs in seconds if you have paced the earlier kilometres badly. Over more than 20 km, even a moderate average adds up to serious accumulated fatigue.

How the Gradient Unfolds

Do the arithmetic and the shape becomes clear. A 5.55% average across 20.3 km is the smooth story; the 21.55% maximum is the violent one. That spread — nearly 16 points between average and peak — means the gradient is uneven, stitched together from gentler drags and sharp, punishing kicks.

Because total ascent (1138 m) sits just 13 m above net gain (1125 m), there is barely any descending built into the route. You climb, and you keep climbing. The steep sections are not recovery-priced by flat or downhill stretches, so every hard ramp is paid for in full. Expect the gradient to breathe — easing enough to let you spin, then snapping back up to double digits and beyond.

Pacing Notes

The single biggest mistake on Neveras is going out too hard. Anchor your effort to your FTP and hold something in reserve for the steep pitches, which can push well past your threshold regardless of how disciplined you have been. On a climb this long, riding 20 or 30 watts too high early on compounds into a full blow-up before the summit.

If you do not know your threshold, run the numbers through the FTP estimator before you go. Aim to climb the shallower sections a touch below threshold so you have headroom when the road tilts toward that 21.55% maximum. Treat the steep ramps as short over-threshold surges, then settle straight back to your target power the moment the grade relents.

Gearing

This is a climb where gearing buys you comfort and finishing legs. A compact 34-tooth chainring paired with a wide-range cassette is the sensible baseline. A 34×32 will get most fit riders up the steady sections without grinding, but given the 21.55% maximum and the sheer length, a 34×34 is the smarter choice for the steepest ramps.

If your bike accepts it, err toward the easier ratio — spinning a 34×34 up the worst pitches protects your knees and keeps your cadence alive for the kilometres that follow.

Summary

Alto de las Neveras is a test of pacing and gearing over raw strength: 20.3 km, a 5.55% average masking a 21.55% maximum, and almost no respite from bottom to top. Gear low, pace to your threshold, and let the climb come to you.

Length: 20.3 km
Average gradient: 5.55%
Max gradient: 21.55%
Start: 727 m
Summit: 1852 m
Net gain: 1125 m
Total ascent: 1138 m
Category: 1