Alto de Suta

Overview

Alto de Suta is a hors catégorie (HC) climb, the hardest rung on the ladder above categories 1 through 4. Over 9.9 km it lifts you from 1287 m to 2181 m, a net gain of 894 m with 885 m of total ascent. The headline number is the average gradient: 9.01% sustained across nearly ten kilometres. That is not a climb with a token steep section bolted onto an easy road — it is steep almost everywhere, and it earns its HC label without needing any excuses.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The defining feature of Suta is consistency. With a 9.01% average and a maximum of 17.98%, the road never really relents. The gap between the average and the max — just under nine points — tells you the steepest ramps are roughly double the mean, so when the gradient bites at 17.98% it feels like the road has stood up on its end. There is very little flat to hide the effort in: because total ascent (885 m) is almost identical to the net gain (894 m), you are climbing continuously, with no false descents to recover the legs. Expect the pitch to hover in the high single digits and low teens for long stretches, punctuated by short ramps that spike toward that 17.98% ceiling.

Pacing Notes

On a climb this relentless, the discipline is to hold a steady effort rather than chase the ramps. Set your target power just below your FTP and protect it — attacking every 17.98% pitch will burn matches you cannot afford across 9.9 km. If you do not know your threshold, run the numbers through the FTP estimator before you commit to a pace. With 894 m to gain, even small surges above threshold compound over the length of the effort. Ride the steep sections a fraction harder only because gravity forces it, then ease back the moment the gradient softens toward the 9.01% average so your average power stays honest.

Gearing

An average of 9.01% for 9.9 km is exactly the profile that punishes under-geared setups. A compact 34-tooth chainring is the sensible front end here. Pair it with at least a 34×32 to give yourself a bailout cassette on the steady grades — but given the 17.98% maximum, most riders will be far happier on a 34×34. That extra sprocket keeps your cadence out of the grind zone when the road spikes, letting you spin rather than lever your way up the steepest ramps. If your bike accepts a wider range, do not be shy about it: on an HC climb, spare gears are cheap insurance and a slow cadence over 894 m of climbing is where legs come apart.

Summary

Alto de Suta is a pure, uncompromising HC test: long enough to matter, steep enough to hurt, and consistent enough that there is nowhere to recover. Gear low, pace to threshold, and respect the 17.98% pitches.

Length: 9.9 km
Average gradient: 9.01%
Max gradient: 17.98%
Start: 1287 m
Summit: 2181 m
Net gain: 894 m
Total ascent: 885 m
Category: HC