Alto de Lavapatas

Overview

Alto de Lavapatas is a 10.7 km category 2 climb that begins at 1287 m and tops out at 1782 m, a summit that already sits well into thin-air territory. The average gradient of 4.64% reads as steady rather than savage, and the 495 m of net elevation gain confirms it: this is a long, rhythm-based effort rather than a wall. Total ascent of 494 m tracks almost exactly with the net figure, which tells you the road climbs honestly upward with little in the way of descending relief. It is the kind of climb where the clock, not the pain, is your main opponent.

How the Gradient Unfolds

Averages flatten the story. While the climb sits at 4.64% across its full 10.7 km, the maximum gradient touches 10.31% — more than double the average — so at least one pitch demands real force out of the saddle. The gap between a 4.64% mean and a 10.31% peak signals an uneven profile: expect stretches noticeably shallower than the average that bank you time, balanced against sharper ramps that claw it back. Read the road ahead, hold something in reserve for the steep bites, and let the gentler sections do the recovering for you rather than burning matches to fill them.

Pacing Notes

On a climb this length, pacing is everything. Because the average is a manageable 4.64%, the temptation is to ride the shallow lower slopes too hard and then blow apart when the gradient spikes toward 10.31%. Anchor your effort to your FTP instead of to how you feel in the first kilometre. For a category 2 ascent like this, holding a shade under threshold on the steady sections and allowing brief surges above it on the ramps keeps your average power sustainable across all 10.7 km. If you are unsure of your number, run it through the FTP estimator before you set a target — pacing to a guessed FTP is how good legs turn into a bad day two-thirds of the way up.

Gearing

The 4.64% average is spinnable on almost any setup, but the 10.31% max is where undergeared riders grind to a crawl — and at a 1782 m summit, oxygen is scarce enough without forcing a low cadence. A compact 34-tooth chainring paired with a 34×32 will cover most of this climb comfortably. If you are a heavier rider, carrying luggage, or simply prefer to protect your knees on the long haul, size up to 34×34 for that extra margin on the steepest pitch. The goal across 10.7 km is to keep your cadence high and your effort even; the right gear lets the road, not your gearing, decide the pace.

Summary

Alto de Lavapatas rewards patience and pacing over brute force. At 10.7 km and 4.64% average with a 10.31% max, it is a genuine category 2 test that gains 495 m to a summit at 1782 m. Pace it to your FTP, gear it low enough to spin the ramps, and let the shallow sections carry you upward.

Length: 10.7 km
Average gradient: 4.64%
Max gradient: 10.31%
Start: 1287 m
Summit: 1782 m
Net gain: 495 m
Total ascent: 494 m
Category: 2