Alto de Linares

Overview

Alto de Linares is a category 2 climb that stretches across 15 km, lifting you from a valley floor at 30 m to a summit of 668 m. On paper the 4.25% average gradient reads as gentle, and for long passages it genuinely is. But that number hides the climb's true character: a 15.42% maximum pitch that arrives to remind you this is a real mountain, not a false flat. The net elevation gain is 638 m, while the total ascent tallies 621 m — a small gap that tells you the road briefly relents or dips before clawing back upward. Over 15 km, this is a climb of patience punctuated by moments that demand everything.

How the Gradient Unfolds

Averages lie, and here the lie is a generous one. A 4.25% mean spread across 15 km suggests a steady tempo effort, yet the 15.42% max is more than three times that figure. That spread means the climb is uneven: long, rolling stretches where you can settle into rhythm, interrupted by sharp ramps that spike well into double digits. The difference between the 638 m net gain and 621 m total ascent confirms there are shallow reprieves or minor descents baked into the profile — sections where the road eases just enough to let your legs recover before the next kick. Read the climb in blocks rather than as one uniform slope, and the shape starts to make sense.

Pacing Notes

The trap on a climb like this is burning matches on the steep ramps and paying for it across the remaining kilometres. Anchor your effort to your FTP and treat the 4.25% average sections as tempo, saving headroom for the pitches that touch 15.42%. If you don't know your threshold, run the numbers through the FTP estimator before you plan a target. Aim to crest the steepest ramps a touch below your limit, then recover on the flatter stretches rather than surging. With 638 m to gain, discipline in the first two-thirds is what keeps the final kilometres from unravelling.

Gearing

For a 15 km effort with ramps hitting 15.42%, prioritise a wide-range cassette over a bigger chainring. A compact setup paired with a 34×32 gives most riders enough range to spin the 4.25% averages comfortably, but the 15.42% pitches are where a 34×32 can leave you grinding. If you carry any fatigue or extra load, step up to a 34×34 — that extra sprocket lowers your minimum cadence-preserving gear and turns the steepest ramps from a lurching struggle into a manageable seated climb. Given the 638 m of total elevation to gain, err toward the easier ratio.

Summary

Alto de Linares rewards riders who respect its deceptive average. The 4.25% mean invites complacency, but the 15.42% max and 638 m of net gain across 15 km make it a genuine category 2 test. Pace it in blocks, gear low, and let the flatter stretches do the recovery work.

Length: 15 km
Average gradient: 4.25%
Max gradient: 15.42%
Start: 30 m
Summit: 668 m
Net gain: 638 m
Total ascent: 621 m
Category: 2