Alto del Volador

Overview

Alto del Volador is a category 1 climb that asks a serious, sustained question of your legs. Over 9.8 km it averages 8.08%, a number that leaves almost no room for recovery. You start at 231 m and finish at 1023 m, a net gain of 792 m, with the road ramping as steep as 13.18% at its worst. Recorded total ascent is 749 m, slightly under the net figure because of small dips where the profile briefly eases. This is not a climb you can bluff your way up — the average alone puts it firmly in serious territory, and the length means every pacing mistake compounds.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The shape here is defined by consistency rather than a single wall. An 8.08% average across 9.8 km means the road rarely relents, and the gap between that average and the 13.18% maximum tells you the steepest ramps are punchy but not endless. Expect long stretches sitting close to the mean, punctuated by pitches that lurch toward double figures. The difference between the 792 m net gain and the 749 m total ascent — a modest 43 m — confirms there are only a few brief flatter or descending moments to reset. Treat those rare lulls as your only chance to shift, drink, and settle your breathing before the grade bites again.

Pacing Notes

The smartest way to ride Alto del Volador is to anchor your effort to a power target rather than ego. Your FTP is the reference point: on a climb this long and this steep, sitting slightly below threshold for the full 9.8 km will beat surging early and blowing up before the summit. If you go into the red on one of the 13.18% ramps, the 8.08% average that follows will not let you recover. Aim to hold a steady, repeatable effort and save any acceleration for the final kilometre. If you are unsure of your threshold number, run the numbers through the FTP estimator before you plan your pacing — knowing that figure turns an 8.08% wall from a guessing game into a manageable, measured effort.

Gearing

Gearing is where you win or lose this climb. With a sustained 8.08% average and pitches to 13.18%, you want easy ratios and a high cadence to protect your knees over 9.8 km. A compact chainring paired with a wide-range cassette is the right call. A 34×32 will get most fit riders up the steadier sections comfortably, but on the steepest ramps you will be grinding. If you have any doubt about your climbing legs, fit a 34×34 — the extra range keeps your cadence spinning on the 13.18% pitches and preserves your legs for the full 792 m of climbing. On a climb this relentless, err toward easier: you can always push a bigger gear, but you cannot magic one up mid-ramp.

Summary

Alto del Volador rewards discipline: steady power, easy gearing, and respect for a gradient that averages 8.08% and never fully lets go. Pace it right and the 1023 m summit is a genuine achievement.

Length: 9.8 km
Average gradient: 8.08%
Max gradient: 13.18%
Start: 231 m
Summit: 1023 m
Net gain: 792 m
Total ascent: 749 m
Category: 1