Alto del Roble

Overview

Alto del Roble is a Category 1 climb that trades brute steepness for sheer duration. Over 25.1 km it gains 1253 m of net elevation, lifting you from a start at 939 m to a summit at 2192 m. The average gradient reads a modest 5%, but that figure hides the real work: at this length, a 5% mean means you are climbing continuously for well over an hour, and the total ascent of 1325 m confirms there is more up-and-down here than the net gain alone suggests. This is a diesel climb — one that rewards patience, rhythm, and honest pacing far more than raw punch.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The headline number to respect is the 13.61% max. That single steepest pitch is nearly three times the average, so the climb is not a uniform 5% ramp — it undulates. The gap between the 1253 m net gain and the 1325 m total ascent tells you there are false flats or short descents baked in, meaning some kilometres will sit well below 5% while others rear up toward that double-digit maximum. Expect the gradient to breathe: long sustained stretches around the average, punctuated by sharper kicks that force you out of the saddle or down a cog. The thin air near the 2192 m summit adds its own tax on the final kilometres, where every percent of grade feels heavier than it did at 939 m.

Pacing Notes

On a climb this long, pacing discipline is everything. Anchor your effort to your FTP: on the sustained 5% sections, aim to settle just under threshold so you have headroom for the steeper ramps toward the 13.61% max. If you do not know your threshold, run your numbers through the FTP estimator before you tackle a climb of 25.1 km — going out too hard in the first third is the classic way to blow up before the summit. Treat the false flats as recovery, not attack zones, and save a match for the altitude drag near 2192 m.

Gearing

Twenty-five kilometres of climbing punishes tall gearing, so give yourself range. A compact 34-tooth chainring paired with a wide cassette is the sensible baseline here. A 34×32 will get most fit riders up the sustained 5% pitches comfortably, but for the 13.61% ramps late in the climb — legs already deep into the 1253 m of gain — a 34×34 buys you a cadence lifeline. If your bike accepts it, err toward the easier 34×34: spinning a low gear beats grinding at the summit's altitude.

Summary

Alto del Roble is a long-haul Category 1 test where duration, not gradient, is the adversary. Pace it by threshold, gear it low, and let the numbers guide you to the summit.

Length: 25.1 km
Average gradient: 5%
Max gradient: 13.61%
Start: 939 m
Summit: 2192 m
Net gain: 1253 m
Total ascent: 1325 m
Category: 1