Alto del Lucero

Overview

Alto del Lucero is a Category 1 monster of endurance more than a wall of pure steepness. Over 37.2 km it lifts you from a start elevation of 119 m to a summit at 1819 m — a net gain of 1700 m with a total ascent of 1819 m, meaning the road climbs almost relentlessly with only the faintest of dips along the way. The average gradient of 4.57% sounds gentle on paper, and for long stretches it is. But that number is an average across nearly forty kilometres, and it hides a maximum pitch of 17.76% that can shatter any rider who has spent their matches too early. This is a climb of patience: manageable if you respect it, punishing if you don't.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The defining feature of Lucero is its length. At 37.2 km, it is longer than most riders will have climbed in a single effort, and the 4.57% mean gradient makes it a rolling, tempo-friendly ascent for the majority of its distance. The danger lies in the variance. With a maximum of 17.76% — nearly four times the average — the climb clearly stacks its difficulty into short, sharp ramps rather than spreading pain evenly. Expect long false flats and steady drags punctuated by pitches that force you out of the saddle. Because the total ascent (1819 m) barely exceeds the net gain (1700 m), there is little recovery on the way up; the road rarely gives elevation back, so you climb almost continuously from bottom to top.

Pacing Notes

The 1700 m of vertical over 37.2 km makes this a threshold effort measured in over an hour, not minutes. Anchor your pacing to your FTP: on the 4.57% average sections, sit comfortably below threshold and bank energy. Save your headroom for the steep ramps toward 17.76%, where power spikes are unavoidable. The classic mistake is riding the shallow lower slopes too hard because they feel easy — then blowing up when the gradient bites. If you're unsure of your numbers, run them through the FTP estimator before you commit to a target. On a climb this long, a pacing error compounds with every kilometre.

Gearing

Gear for the maximum, not the average. While much of the 4.57% grade is rideable on modest ratios, the 17.76% pitches demand a genuine bailout gear at the end of a 1700 m ascent, when your legs are hollow. A compact 34-tooth chainring paired with a 34×32 cassette is the sensible minimum for most riders here. If you know you struggle on the steep, late ramps — or you're carrying luggage — step up to 34×34 for extra insurance. The added spin costs you almost nothing on the shallow sections but keeps your cadence and knees alive when the road kicks skyward near the summit.

Summary

Alto del Lucero rewards discipline: a long, mostly moderate Category 1 climb whose 4.57% average masks brutal 17.76% ramps and a near-continuous 1700 m of climbing. Pace conservatively, gear generously, and let the summit come to you.

Length: 37.2 km
Average gradient: 4.57%
Max gradient: 17.76%
Start: 119 m
Summit: 1819 m
Net gain: 1700 m
Total ascent: 1819 m
Category: 1