Alto de Medina

Overview

Alto de Medina is a long, high-altitude Category 1 ascent that starts at 1279 m and finishes at 2708 m. Over its full 26.7 km it gains 1429 m of net elevation, with a total ascent of 1515 m — the extra 86 m tells you the road is not perfectly monotonic, so expect a handful of dips and false flats that give the legs a brief reprieve before the road tilts up again.

At 5.35% average gradient, the climb reads as steady rather than savage on paper. But the 22.21% max gradient is the number that reshapes how you ride it: somewhere on this mountain the road pitches to nearly one-in-five, and an average that gentle can only coexist with a wall that steep if long, shallower stretches balance it out. This is a climb of contrasts.

How the Gradient Unfolds

Think of Alto de Medina as three problems stacked on top of each other. The first is duration: 26.7 km is a sustained effort measured in tens of minutes, not a short punch. The second is altitude — topping out at 2708 m, the thinner air will quietly trim the power you can hold, and that effect compounds the longer you climb. The third is variability.

With a 5.35% mean and a 22.21% peak, the gradient does not sit still. The 1515 m of total ascent against 1429 m of net gain confirms the profile rolls: you climb, level, occasionally drop, then climb again. Treat every steep pitch as a discrete event to survive rather than a new baseline, and let the flatter sections be genuine recovery.

Pacing Notes

On a climb this long, pacing discipline beats bravado. Anchor your effort to your FTP and resist the urge to chase the steep ramps out of the saddle at threshold-and-beyond — those 22.21% spikes will torch your legs long before the 2708 m summit. Ride the shallower kilometres a touch below FTP, bank matches for the walls, and accept that the altitude near the top means your sustainable ceiling drops as you climb.

If you are unsure of your number, run through the FTP estimator before you plan the effort. Then split the 26.7 km mentally into thirds and hold something you could genuinely repeat for the next third — over 1429 m of climbing, even effort almost always beats a fast start.

Gearing

Bring climbing gears. A compact 34-tooth chainring is the sensible foundation here, and the question is how much range you want at the back. A 34×32 is the minimum I would recommend for the sustained 5.35% grind, and it will get most riders up cleanly. But the 22.21% ramps are where 34×32 starts to feel harsh, so if your legs or your fitness leave any doubt, fit a 34×34. That extra sprocket keeps your cadence alive on the steepest pitches and protects your knees across a climb that lasts 26.7 km. When in doubt on a mountain this long and this steep, choose the easier gear.

Summary

Alto de Medina rewards patience: a long, high, variable Category 1 climb where even pacing and low gearing matter more than raw power. Respect the altitude, save something for the 22.21% ramps, and let the 5.35% average carry you to the top.

Length: 26.7 km
Average gradient: 5.35%
Max gradient: 22.21%
Start: 1279 m
Summit: 2708 m
Net gain: 1429 m
Total ascent: 1515 m
Category: 1