Alto del Obispo

Overview

Alto del Obispo is a genuine hors catégorie (HC) climb, the sort of effort that earns its own weather and its own respect. Over 14 km the road hauls you from a valley floor at 1234 m up to a summit of 2462 m, a net elevation gain of 1228 m. Do the arithmetic and it averages 8.8% — but averages flatter a climb like this. The total ascent registers 1226 m, confirming there's almost no relief along the way: what goes up here essentially stays up. There are no false flats to recover on, no valley kink to reset your legs. From the moment the gradient tilts, it commits, and so must you.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The defining number is the average: 8.8% sustained across the full 14 km. That is brutally consistent terrain, and consistency at this pitch is what makes it HC rather than merely hard. The maximum gradient bites at 16.99%, roughly twice the average, so expect ramps that briefly double the difficulty before easing back toward that relentless 8.8% baseline. Because net gain (1228 m) and total ascent (1226 m) are nearly identical, you can trust the profile: this is a one-directional wall, not a rolling series of climbs. Break it into thirds of a little over 4.5 km each and treat every third as its own sustained effort at threshold. The steepest pitches will punish anyone who surges early.

Pacing Notes

At 8.8% for 14 km, pacing is everything. This is a climb ridden by the numbers, so know your FTP before you start and hold just below it — the sustained gradient gives you nowhere to hide from an overcooked opening. If you don't have a recent figure, run the FTP estimator first and build your target watts around it. On the 16.99% ramps, let cadence drop and power spike briefly rather than blowing your ceiling; on the shallower stretches back toward 8.8%, settle and breathe. With 1228 m of vertical to grind through, the rider who paces the first third conservatively is the one still turning the pedals cleanly at 2462 m.

Gearing

Do not under-gear this one. For most riders a compact 34-tooth chainring paired with a wide cassette is the sensible floor. A 34×32 will get a strong, light climber up the 8.8% average, but on the 16.99% pitches near the top — after you've already climbed most of the 1228 m — that ratio can feel cruelly tall. If you have any doubt about your fitness or your legs on a 14 km sustained effort, fit 34×34 (or lower) and thank yourself on the steep ramps. Spinning a small gear at a high cadence protects your knees and preserves the FTP-threshold effort this climb demands.

Summary

Alto del Obispo is a complete HC test: 14 km of unbroken 8.8% climbing, spikes to nearly 17%, and over 1200 m of vertical from base to summit. Pace it by power, gear it low, and respect the length.

Length: 14 km
Average gradient: 8.8%
Max gradient: 16.99%
Start: 1234 m
Summit: 2462 m
Net gain: 1228 m
Total ascent: 1226 m
Category: HC