Alto de Timotes

Overview

Alto de Timotes is a genuine hors-catégorie giant. Over 29.3 km it averages 6.63%, but that tidy number hides the scale of what you are actually signing up for: the road begins at 2338 m and finishes at 4284 m. That is a net gain of 1946 m, with 2096 m of total ascent once the small dips and recoveries are counted back in. The gap between net and total tells you the climb is not a perfectly smooth ramp — there is roughly 150 m of lost-and-regained elevation folded into the profile.

Two things make this climb exceptional. The first is altitude: finishing above 4000 m means thin air will cap your power long before your legs give out. The second is the ceiling on the gradient — a maximum of 21.27% — which means the average never lets you relax into a rhythm without the road eventually rearing up.

How the Gradient Unfolds

A 6.63% average across 29.3 km sounds steady, and long stretches genuinely are. But the 21.27% maximum is nearly triple the average, so the difficulty is front-loaded into the steep pitches rather than spread evenly. Expect the road to oscillate between sustained tempo grades and short, savage kickers.

Because total ascent (2096 m) exceeds net gain (1946 m) by about 150 m, there are false flats and brief descents where you can freewheel and shake out your legs. Use them. On a climb this long, every metre you are not climbing is a metre of recovery banked for the next wall.

Pacing Notes

Do not chase the average. On a 29.3 km effort, your limiter is sustainable power, and the thin air near the 4284 m summit will quietly erode your ceiling as you climb. Anchor your pacing to your FTP and hold something you can defend for well over an hour — the steep 21.27% ramps will spike your effort no matter how disciplined you are, so leave headroom.

If you are unsure of your number, run the FTP estimator before you plan this ride. Target a percentage of FTP you can sustain across the full 1946 m of climbing, then consciously ease back on the steep pitches so you crest them without going deep into the red.

Gearing

Gear for the steepest metre, not the average one. With a 21.27% maximum and nearly two thousand metres of gain, a compact chainring paired with a wide-range cassette is the sensible minimum. A 34×32 will get most fit riders up the sustained grades, but on the 21.27% ramps — especially with thin air sapping your output above 4000 m — you will want the extra relief of a 34×34. If your frame and derailleur can clear it, size up: spinning a low gear beats grinding a marginal one over 29.3 km.

Summary

Alto de Timotes is a rare beast: an HC climb that combines marathon length, real altitude, and viciously steep pitches. Pace to your FTP, gear low, and respect the thin air near the top.

Length: 29.3 km
Average gradient: 6.63%
Max gradient: 21.27%
Start: 2338 m
Summit: 4284 m
Net gain: 1946 m
Total ascent: 2096 m
Category: HC