Alto de las Setecientas

Overview

Alto de las Setecientas is a 13 km Category 1 ascent in Spain that begins at 1117 m and finishes at 1927 m. That gives a net elevation gain of 810 m over the full distance, and with the total ascent measured at 792 m, the road climbs almost relentlessly upward with only the faintest of respites along the way.

The headline number is the 6.24% average gradient. That figure sits squarely in the range that makes a climb genuinely selective: steep enough to hurt if you overcook the early slopes, but shallow enough that a well-paced rider can hold a steady rhythm for the better part of an hour. At 13 km, it is long enough to reward patience and punish impatience in equal measure.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The defining tension of this climb is the gap between its 6.24% average and its 12.06% maximum. When the steepest ramp is nearly double the mean, the road is not uniform — it pulses. Expect stretches that sit comfortably around the average, broken up by sharper pitches where the gradient nearly doubles and your cadence collapses if you are caught in the wrong gear.

Because the net gain (810 m) slightly exceeds the total ascent figure (792 m), there is essentially no meaningful descending inside the climb. Every kilometre trends up. The challenge is therefore less about surviving false flats and more about metering your effort across the harder ramps so you arrive at 1927 m with something left.

Pacing Notes

Over 13 km, this is an effort measured against your sustainable power, not your peak. Anchor your pacing to a percentage of your FTP: riders typically target something just under threshold for a climb of this length, holding back on the opening slopes so the 12.06% ramps don't spike you into the red.

If you don't have a current threshold figure, run the numbers first with the FTP estimator. Knowing your ceiling lets you convert the 6.24% average into a target power you can actually hold for the full ascent, then spend a little extra only on the steepest pitches where staying seated and smooth matters most.

Gearing

With an average of 6.24% and spikes to 12.06% across 13 km of continuous climbing, gearing is your friend. A compact chainring is the sensible baseline, and the question is really how much range you want at the back.

A 34×32 setup is enough for many trained riders to spin the average sections and grind through the steep ramps without stalling. But if you weigh a little more, ride a little less, or simply want to protect your legs on a climb this long, a 34×34 buys you a crucial extra margin on the 12.06% pitches. Given that the road climbs 810 m with no real recovery, err toward the easier gear — you will never regret spinning, only mashing.

Summary

Alto de las Setecientas is a long, honest Category 1 climb: 13 km of steady ascent, a 6.24% average sharpened by 12.06% ramps, and 810 m of vertical to a high summit at 1927 m. Pace it against your threshold, gear it low, and let the rhythm carry you.

Length: 13 km
Average gradient: 6.24%
Max gradient: 12.06%
Start: 1117 m
Summit: 1927 m
Net gain: 810 m
Total ascent: 792 m
Category: 1