Alto de San Roque

Overview

Alto de San Roque is a long, steady category 2 ascent that rewards patience over punch. Over 14.2 km it lifts you from a valley floor at 535 m to a summit of 1276 m, a net gain of 741 m with 746 m of total ascent once the small dips and recoveries are counted. The average gradient of 5.24% sounds gentle, and for long stretches it is, but a maximum pitch of 12.8% means the road is never entirely flat and occasionally bares its teeth. This is a climb of rhythm: the kind where a good effort is built early and defended, not launched.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The math tells the story. A 5.24% average across 14.2 km is a workhorse grade, comfortably sittable for most riders, but the gap between that mean and the 12.8% maximum is where the difficulty hides. Because total ascent (746 m) sits only 5 m above net gain (741 m), there are almost no meaningful downhill sections to break your tempo — what goes up essentially keeps going up. Expect the slope to breathe between shallow ramps and steeper kickers rather than deliver one relentless wall. The steepest sections toward 12.8% are the moments to watch your power; everywhere else the grade lets you settle into a sustainable cadence and simply tick off elevation.

Pacing Notes

On a climb this long, discipline beats bravado. Anchor your effort to your FTP and aim to hold a percentage you can sustain for the full 14.2 km rather than surging on every ramp. A climb of roughly 45 minutes to an hour, depending on your ability, sits near threshold territory, so knowing your number matters. If you are unsure where yours lands, run the FTP estimator before you start. The key tactical rule: don't spend on the 12.8% pitches. Let cadence drop, stay seated where you can, and pour the saved matches into holding steady tempo on the long 5.24%-ish middle. Riders who blow up here almost always do it in the first third.

Gearing

With 741 m to grind out and ramps touching 12.8%, gearing generously is the smart call. A compact 34-tooth chainring paired with a wide cassette keeps your cadence high and your knees happy. A 34×32 is a sensible baseline for fit riders who can turn a bigger gear on the steep bits, but if you value spinning over standing — or you're tackling this at the end of a long day — a 34×34 gives you that extra margin on the 12.8% sections without forcing you out of the saddle. When in doubt on a climb of this length, choose the easier gear.

Summary

Alto de San Roque is a fair, honest category 2 climb: long enough to test your pacing, steep enough in places to punish overreach, but rideable at tempo for anyone who respects the distance. Build the effort early, protect it through the middle, and save your legs for the 12.8% moments.

Length: 14.2 km
Average gradient: 5.24%
Max gradient: 12.8%
Start: 535 m
Summit: 1276 m
Net gain: 741 m
Total ascent: 746 m
Category: 2