Alto de Las Palmas

Overview

Alto de Las Palmas is a Category 1 climb that stretches 15.2 km and averages 6.92% — a sustained, honest gradient that never really lets you settle. Over its length it lifts you from a start elevation of 1478 m all the way to a 2528 m summit, a net elevation gain of 1050 m. The total ascent registers at 1021 m, meaning the road runs almost uninterrupted uphill with barely a false flat to break the rhythm. This is a climb defined by its consistency: long enough to demand real pacing discipline, steep enough on average to punish anyone who starts too hard.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The defining feature here is that 6.92% average holding across the full 15.2 km. Because the total ascent (1021 m) sits close to the net gain (1050 m), there are essentially no descents to recover on — every kilometre asks something of you. The steepest sections bite at 10.67%, and it is the gap between that maximum and the 6.92% average that tells the real story: the ramps that spike toward 10.67% arrive on top of a road that is already climbing steadily. There is no easy runway. When the gradient kicks, you are absorbing the extra pitch without any preceding respite, which makes those steeper pinches feel harder than the raw number suggests.

Pacing Notes

On a climb this long and steady, pacing is everything. The smart approach is to ride the bulk of the 15.2 km just under your threshold, holding a wattage you know you can sustain for the full 1050 m of elevation gain. Anchor your effort to your FTP: treat the sustained 6.92% sections as a threshold-or-just-below effort, and reserve a little headroom for the 10.67% ramps so they don't push you deep into the red. Because there's no recovery terrain, going over your limit early means paying for it across every remaining kilometre. If you're unsure of your number, run it through the FTP estimator before you set your target so your pacing plan is built on real data rather than guesswork.

Gearing

At 15.2 km averaging 6.92% with pitches to 10.67%, gearing matters as much as fitness. A compact 34-tooth chainring is the sensible front choice. For most riders a 34×32 will get you up the sustained sections while keeping a cadence you can hold, but on a climb of this length — and with 10.67% ramps stacked on an already-steep road — a 34×34 gives you the extra spin to stay seated and steady when the gradient bites. If you're carrying fatigue or riding at altitude near the 2528 m summit, err toward the easier 34×34; the ability to keep your cadence high over 1050 m of climbing is worth more than the marginal weight.

Summary

Alto de Las Palmas is a textbook Category 1 test: 15.2 km of near-constant climbing at 6.92%, topping out at 2528 m. Pace it to your threshold, gear low, and respect the fact that the 10.67% ramps land on a road already tilted against you.

Length: 15.2 km
Average gradient: 6.92%
Max gradient: 10.67%
Start: 1478 m
Summit: 2528 m
Net gain: 1050 m
Total ascent: 1021 m
Category: 1