Alto del Hoyo

Overview

Alto del Hoyo is a compact, honest climb: 4.7 km of ascending road that lifts you from 72 m at the base to 340 m at the summit. That is a net gain of 268 m, and the average gradient sits at a steady 5.74%. On paper it earns a category 3 rating — not a monster in the four-tier scale below hors catégorie, but long enough and steep enough that you cannot simply muscle over it. What makes this one interesting is the gap between its calm average and its 14.67% maximum: the road is not uniform, and the way that pitch arrives dictates how you should ride the whole thing.

How the Gradient Unfolds

Start with the arithmetic. The listed total ascent is 249 m against a net elevation change of 268 m — the two figures being close tells you this is a climb that mostly goes up, with little in the way of descending relief to reset your legs. Over 4.7 km at 5.74% average, a perfectly even road would never feel alarming. But the 14.67% max is nearly three times the average, which means the difficulty is front-loaded or clustered rather than spread evenly. Expect stretches noticeably shallower than 5.74% that lull you into a rhythm, punctuated by at least one ramp that spikes toward that 14.67% figure. Read the road ahead: when the surface tilts up sharply, that is the climb spending its difficulty, and it will ease afterward.

Pacing Notes

Because the average is moderate but the peaks are steep, pace to the sections, not the summit. Ride the shallow portions a touch below your threshold so you have headroom when the gradient jumps toward 14.67%. Anchoring your effort to your FTP keeps this honest: on a 4.7 km climb you can afford to sit near threshold, but the steep ramp will briefly push you above it, so bank a little margin beforehand. If you are unsure of your number, the FTP estimator will get you a working figure. The goal is to crest the 340 m summit having spent evenly, not to arrive at the steep pitch already redlined.

Gearing

For a climb averaging 5.74% with a 14.67% spike, gearing choice is about that spike, not the average. A compact 34-tooth chainring paired with a 34×32 cassette gives most riders enough range to spin the moderate sections and survive the steep ramp seated. If your legs favour cadence over torque, or you are carrying fatigue, step up to a 34×34 — that extra sprocket buys you the low gear that keeps you turning rather than grinding when the road hits its 14.67% maximum. Either setup handles the 268 m of gain comfortably; the deciding factor is how comfortably you want to meet the steepest metres.

Summary

Alto del Hoyo rewards riders who respect its peaks and pace its averages. It is short at 4.7 km, moderate at 5.74%, but sharp enough at 14.67% to punish a careless start. Gear for the spike, pace to the sections, and the 340 m summit comes without drama.

Length: 4.7 km
Average gradient: 5.74%
Max gradient: 14.67%
Start: 72 m
Summit: 340 m
Net gain: 268 m
Total ascent: 249 m
Category: 3