Alto del Bobal

Overview

Alto del Bobal is a genuine hors catégorie monster, the kind of climb that reshapes an entire ride around it. Over 28.3 km it gains 1932 m of net elevation, dragging you from a start at 1210 m all the way to a thin-aired summit at 3142 m. The average gradient of 6.83% sounds civilized on paper, but averages lie on a climb this long — the road ramps to a savage 15.95% at its steepest, and the total ascent of 1998 m (more than the net gain) confirms the profile isn't a clean, uninterrupted stairway. This is a full hour or more of climbing for most riders, at an altitude where the air itself works against you.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The headline number, 6.83%, is deceptive because 28.3 km is long enough to hide enormous variation. The gap between the total ascent of 1998 m and the net gain of 1932 m — a difference of 66 m — tells you the road gives back a little in places, meaning short false flats or brief dips interrupt the grind. Those breaks are welcome, but they also mean the climbing sections between them must be steeper than the average to compensate. That's where the 15.95% maximum lives: on the pitches, the road bites hard and forces you well above your steady effort. Treat the average as a budget, not a promise — the hardest ramps will cost you far more.

Pacing Notes

On a climb of 28.3 km, discipline beats bravado every time. Anchor your effort to your FTP and hold something in reserve, because a summit at 3142 m means thinning air steadily erodes your sustainable power as you climb. If you don't know your number, run it through the FTP estimator before you commit. Ride the 6.83% sections at a comfortable tempo you could hold for well over an hour, then absorb the 15.95% ramps by shifting down early and spinning through rather than muscling over. The riders who blow up here are the ones who chase the steep pitches at threshold — respect the length and the altitude, and let the climb come to you.

Gearing

With 1932 m of vertical over 28.3 km and ramps hitting 15.95%, gear for survival, not pride. A compact 34-tooth chainring paired with a wide-range cassette is the baseline: 34×32 will get most fit riders up the sustained 6.83% stretches, but on the steepest 15.95% pitches — especially after an hour of climbing at altitude — you'll want the bailout of 34×34. If your legs or your fitness are in any doubt, fit the 34×34 from the start. A cadence you can actually turn over near 3142 m is worth far more than a marginally taller gear you grind to a halt in.

Summary

Alto del Bobal is a summit-hunter's prize: long, high, and unrelenting, with a 15.95% sting hidden inside its 6.83% average. Pace it by the numbers, gear low, and save something for the final thin-aired kilometers to 3142 m.

Length: 28.3 km
Average gradient: 6.83%
Max gradient: 15.95%
Start: 1210 m
Summit: 3142 m
Net gain: 1932 m
Total ascent: 1998 m
Category: HC