Alto de Reinas

Overview

Alto de Reinas is a genuine hors catégorie (HC) climb, the hardest classification a road ascent can carry. Over 13.7 km it gains 1049 m of net elevation, lifting you from a start at 629 m to a summit at 1678 m. The average gradient sits at a punishing 7.64%, and the total ascent of 1033 m — a touch below the net gain, meaning almost every metre is uphill with barely a false descent to break the rhythm.

This is not a climb that eases you in. With nearly fourteen kilometres of near-continuous work and a max pitch of 21.75%, Alto de Reinas rewards patience, respects nobody's ego, and punishes anyone who goes out too hard.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The headline number — 7.64% average — tells only part of the story. A climb that averages this steep across 13.7 km is relentless by definition, but the 21.75% max gradient signals that the road is far from uniform. Expect the grade to swing well above and below the mean.

The gap between the total ascent of 1033 m and the net gain of 1049 m is small, which tells you there is very little downhill to recover on. Once you start climbing, you stay climbing. The steepest ramps, approaching 21.75%, will spike your effort into the red in short bursts, so the real skill is absorbing those pitches without blowing your legs for the kilometres that follow.

Pacing Notes

The single most important number here is your threshold. On a climb this long, riding above your FTP early is the fastest way to detonate before the summit. Aim to settle into a sustainable effort from the base at 629 m and hold it, treating the 21.75% ramps as brief over-efforts you spin through rather than attack.

A useful target is to average just below threshold across the full 13.7 km, leaving a small buffer for the steepest sections. If you don't have a tested threshold, run the numbers through the FTP estimator first, then set a power ceiling and refuse to break it in the opening third. With 1049 m of climbing ahead, discipline beats bravado every time.

Gearing

Gear for the steep ramps, not the average. With a 7.64% mean and pitches touching 21.75%, most riders will want the widest cassette they can fit. A compact 34-tooth chainring paired with a 34×32 low gear is the sensible minimum, and on the 21.75% sections you'll be grateful for every tooth.

If your legs or your loaded bike suggest you need more, step up to a 34×34 — that extra range keeps your cadence alive on the steepest pitches instead of forcing you into a grinding, back-straining slog. On a climb of this length, protecting your cadence protects your legs for the full 13.7 km. There is no shame in spinning to the summit at 1678 m.

Summary

Alto de Reinas is a complete HC test: long, steep, and unforgiving, with pitches that bite hard against an already brutal average. Pace it off your threshold, gear low enough to keep spinning, and treat the summit as a reward earned metre by metre across all 1049 m.

Length: 13.7 km
Average gradient: 7.64%
Max gradient: 21.75%
Start: 629 m
Summit: 1678 m
Net gain: 1049 m
Total ascent: 1033 m
Category: HC