Alto de Sacachova

Overview

Alto de Sacachova is a Category 1 climb that asks a genuine question of your legs: can you hold a steady effort for 17.1 km without falling apart? Over that distance the road averages 6.79%, lifting you from a start elevation of 1362 m to a summit of 2522 m. That is 1160 m of net vertical gain, with 1133 m of total ascent packed into an ascent that rarely lets up.

At altitude, that thin air compounds every percentage point. This is not a climb of brutal walls but of sustained, grinding pressure — the kind that rewards patience and punishes anyone who lights the match too early.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The headline number is that 6.79% average, and it is an honest one. With a maximum gradient of 12.34%, the steepest ramps sit only a little over five points above the average — there are no double-digit sustained sectors waiting to shatter your rhythm, just the occasional pitch that nudges into the low teens.

Because the difference between the total ascent of 1133 m and the net gain of 1160 m is small, you can read this as an almost uninterrupted upward road: very little false-flat relief, almost no descending to recover on. Every kilometre you climb is a kilometre you keep. The gradient's tight spread around its average makes Sacachova a rhythm climb — set a cadence and defend it.

Pacing Notes

The smartest way to ride 17.1 km at 6.79% is to treat it as a threshold effort, not a series of surges. Anchor your pacing to your FTP and aim to sit just below it for the bulk of the climb, saving any extra for the pitches that reach toward 12.34%.

If you do not know your threshold number, spend two minutes with the FTP estimator before you plan your ride. Knowing your ceiling turns 1160 m of climbing from a guessing game into a manageable, repeatable effort. Start conservatively: the climb's length means the cost of going too hard in the first few kilometres is paid back with interest near the 2522 m summit, where the altitude bites hardest.

Gearing

For a 17.1 km climb averaging 6.79% with ramps to 12.34%, give yourself range. A compact 34-tooth inner ring paired with a 34×32 cassette is the sensible baseline for most riders, keeping your cadence comfortable across the steady middle sections.

If you climb at a lighter power-to-weight, or you simply want insurance for the steeper pitches at altitude, size up to a 34×34. That extra sprocket costs nothing on the shallower sections and buys you a spinning gear when the gradient and the thin air gang up on you near the top. On a climb this long, an over-geared setup is far more punishing than an easy gear you never quite need.

Summary

Alto de Sacachova is a long, honest Category 1 ascent — steady enough to ride to a plan, high enough that pacing and gearing genuinely matter. Respect the length, spin an easy gear, and let the summit come to you.

Length: 17.1 km
Average gradient: 6.79%
Max gradient: 12.34%
Start: 1362 m
Summit: 2522 m
Net gain: 1160 m
Total ascent: 1133 m
Category: 1