Alto de Pinheiro

Overview

Alto de Pinheiro is a short, sharp category-2 climb that packs a serious punch into a compact 4.3 km. From a start elevation of 395 m it lifts you to a 703 m summit, a net gain of 308 m, at a demanding average gradient of 7.23%. That average alone tells you this is no soft-pedal warm-up — sustain 7.23% for the better part of an hour on any climb and it stings, but here the road compresses that effort into a punchy window that rewards riders who can hold power under fatigue. The max gradient of 15.76% is the sting in the tail: at least one ramp more than doubles the average, and it is the kind of pitch that forces you out of the saddle whether you planned to stand or not.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The headline numbers frame the shape well. With a 7.23% average and a 15.76% maximum, the climb is not evenly graded — the gap between those two figures means there are stretches noticeably shallower than 7.23% to balance the steepest ramp. Expect the road to breathe: sections where you can settle into rhythm, punctuated by pitches that rear up toward that 15.76% wall. Because the net elevation gain (308 m) exceeds the total ascent figure logged for the road surface (290 m), the profile is a near-continuous drag upward with little to no descending relief once you commit — you climb, and you keep climbing. Over just 4.3 km that consistency is what makes a 308 m gain feel earned rather than gifted.

Pacing Notes

Treat Alto de Pinheiro as a threshold effort. At 4.3 km and 7.23% average, most riders will be climbing for a time window that sits right around or just above FTP intensity — long enough to hurt, short enough that going slightly into the red is survivable. The mistake is burning matches on the 15.76% ramp early and paying for it across the remaining kilometres. Pace the shallower sections steadily, save a reserve for the steepest pitch, and let the flatter stretches be active recovery rather than attack points. If you do not know your current threshold, run the numbers first with the FTP estimator so you can set a target wattage instead of riding on feel and blowing up before the summit.

Gearing

For a climb averaging 7.23% with a 15.76% maximum, gear low and keep cadence up. A compact chainring with a wide-range cassette is the sensible default. A 34×32 will get most reasonably fit riders over the top, letting you spin the steady sections without grinding. But given that 15.76% spike, a 34×34 is the smarter insurance — that extra sprocket keeps your cadence alive on the wall instead of leaving you mashing a stalled pedal stroke. If you tend to fade late or carry touring weight, favour the 34×34 without hesitation.

Summary

Alto de Pinheiro is a concentrated category-2 test: short enough to attack, steep enough to respect, with a 15.76% ramp that decides who paced it well. Gear low, ride to your threshold, and hold something back for the top.

Length: 4.3 km
Average gradient: 7.23%
Max gradient: 15.76%
Start: 395 m
Summit: 703 m
Net gain: 308 m
Total ascent: 290 m
Category: 2