Alto de Piedras Largas

Overview

Alto de Piedras Largas is a Category 1 climb that asks for patience rather than heroics. Over 14.9 km the road lifts from a start elevation of 2024 m to a summit of 2849 m, an 825 m net gain that lands you firmly into thin mountain air. The average gradient sits at 5.54%, a figure that reads as steady and honest — steep enough to keep you working, shallow enough to reward good rhythm. With 801 m of total ascent packed into that distance, there is little rolling relief; this is a climb you settle into and grind out from bottom to top.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The defining number here is the gap between average and maximum. At 5.54% average against an 8.23% max, the spread is only 2.69 percentage points — remarkably tight for a Category 1 effort of this length. That narrow range tells you the road rarely spikes and rarely relents. Instead of a punchy wall followed by recovery, Piedras Largas trends upward with consistency, the pitch nudging toward its 8.23% ceiling on the harder ramps before easing back toward the mean. Because the net gain (825 m) sits just above the total ascent (801 m), there is almost no descending mixed in — nearly every metre you climb stays climbed. Plan for a sustained, uninterrupted push rather than surges and coasts.

Pacing Notes

A tight gradient profile is a gift for pacing: it lets you hold a near-constant power target from the first kilometre to the last. Anchor your effort to your FTP and aim to ride the lower stretches at a hair below threshold, leaving headroom for the steeper 8.23% ramps without blowing apart. The thin air near the 2849 m summit will quietly tax you, so err on the conservative side early — the altitude, not the pitch, is what bites in the final third. If you are unsure of your threshold before setting a target, run the numbers through the FTP estimator and pace to that figure. On a 14.9 km climb, going out 10 watts too hot is the classic way to detonate before the top.

Gearing

The 5.54% average is manageable on standard climbing gears, but the length and the 8.23% ramps at altitude argue for extra range. A compact 34-tooth inner ring is the sensible foundation. Pair it with a 34×32 if you are strong and want to protect your cadence on the steeper sections, and step up to a 34×34 if you would rather spin than strain across the full 14.9 km. Given the sustained nature of the climb and the 2849 m summit, most riders will be glad of the easier 34×34 in the closing kilometres. Fresh legs make the choice feel academic; tired legs make it decisive.

Summary

Alto de Piedras Largas is a long, honest Category 1 climb defined by consistency: a 14.9 km grind at 5.54% average with only a 2.69-point spread up to its 8.23% max. Pace it evenly, gear generously, and respect the altitude of its 2849 m crown.

Length: 14.9 km
Average gradient: 5.54%
Max gradient: 8.23%
Start: 2024 m
Summit: 2849 m
Net gain: 825 m
Total ascent: 801 m
Category: 1