Alto del Loro

Overview

Alto del Loro is a category 2 ascent that trades brutal steepness for relentless length. Over 15.2 km the road lifts you from a start elevation of 103 m to a summit at 780 m, a net gain of 677 m. The average gradient reads a modest 4.46%, but that figure hides a lot. With a max gradient of 16.24% waiting somewhere on the profile, this is a climb where the number on the sign and the number in your legs rarely agree. Total ascent tallies 731 m — slightly more than the net gain, a sign the road is not a single clean ramp but a shape that rises, eases, and rises again.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The gap between the 677 m net gain and the 731 m total ascent tells the story: this climb includes short dips or false flats where you give back a little height before clawing it back. That's roughly 54 m of "extra" climbing baked into the profile. A 4.46% average across 15.2 km is a gradient you can ride seated and steady, but the 16.24% max means at least one wall stands well above that mean. Expect the effort to be uneven — long stretches near or below average punctuated by sharp kicks. Treat the average as a planning tool, not a promise, and read the road ahead so a ramp toward that 16.24% ceiling never catches you in the wrong gear.

Pacing Notes

The right way to ride Alto del Loro is by power, not ego. Anchor your effort to your FTP: on a category 2 climb of this length, most riders hold a touch below threshold on the shallower sections so they have headroom when the gradient jumps toward 16.24%. If you don't know your threshold number, run it through the FTP estimator before you plan your pacing. With 15.2 km and 677 m to gain, going out too hard in the opening kilometres is the classic error — the climb is long enough to punish it. Meter your effort, let the steep pitches spike your power briefly, then settle back to your target on the flatter grades.

Gearing

For a 4.46% average that hides a 16.24% max, gearing is your friend. A compact 34-tooth inner chainring is the sensible baseline. Pair it with a 34×32 for a manageable low end on most of the 15.2 km, and if you climb at a lower cadence or expect to fade over the 677 m of gain, step up to a 34×34 to keep your legs spinning on the steepest ramps. The wider ratio costs nothing on the shallow sections and buys you real relief when the road tilts toward its 16.24% ceiling. Better to carry a gear you don't need than to grind one you don't have.

Summary

Alto del Loro rewards patience: a long, category 2 grind where the 4.46% average understates a punchy 16.24% max, and where 731 m of total ascent delivers you 677 m higher than where you started. Pace by power, gear low, and let the length do the work.

Length: 15.2 km
Average gradient: 4.46%
Max gradient: 16.24%
Start: 103 m
Summit: 780 m
Net gain: 677 m
Total ascent: 731 m
Category: 2