Atalazko lepoa

Overview

Atalazko lepoa is one of those climbs that reads more like a dare than a route. It measures just 5.5 km, yet it averages a scarcely believable 15.08% the whole way up. That combination — short on paper, relentless in reality — is what earns it its HC (hors catégorie) rating, the hardest tier there is before the road simply becomes a wall. You start at 156 m and finish at 993 m, a summit elevation that puts the top nearly a kilometre above sea level. Over those 5.5 km the road lifts you 837 m net, with 812 m of total ascent logged along the way. There is no easing in, no gentle valley approach baked into the average. When a climb this short posts a double-digit gradient in the mid-teens, every metre is doing work.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The defining feature of Atalazko lepoa is its ferocious consistency. A 15.08% average across 5.5 km means the climb almost never lets the gradient sag into anything resembling recovery. Do the arithmetic and the shape is stark: 837 m of net gain packed into 5.5 km of forward travel. The slightly lower total ascent figure of 812 m tells you the road is essentially all up, with negligible flat or descending sections to reset your legs. Practically, expect the slope to hover around its brutal average for long, uninterrupted stretches. There is no false flat to hide in, no shallow ramp to spin out and catch your breath. The 25 m difference between net gain and total ascent is small enough that you should plan for a single, sustained effort rather than a climb of distinct phases.

Pacing Notes

On a climb this steep and this short, pacing is really about damage control. The 5.5 km will pass quickly in distance but slowly in time, so anchor your effort to your FTP and resist the urge to attack the lower slopes. At 15.08%, going even slightly too hard early leaves nowhere to recover — the gradient never relents to let you claw the time back. If you are unsure of your threshold, run the numbers through the FTP estimator first, then aim to hold a steady, sustainable power from the base at 156 m all the way to the 993 m summit. Ride to your ceiling, not past it.

Gearing

Do not underestimate what a 15.08% average demands of your drivetrain. This is a climb where compact gearing is the floor, not a luxury. A 34×32 is the bare minimum most riders will want, and honestly many will be grateful for a 34×34 or even easier to keep the cadence turning instead of grinding to a lurching, out-of-the-saddle crawl. Given the sustained pitch across all 5.5 km, err toward the easier ratio: a 34×34 buys you cadence, protects your knees, and keeps the effort aerobic rather than a series of muscular lunges.

Summary

Atalazko lepoa is a compact, uncompromising HC test — short in kilometres, savage in gradient, and unforgiving from bottom to top.

Length: 5.5 km
Average gradient: 15.08%
Max gradient: n/a
Start: 156 m
Summit: 993 m
Net gain: 837 m
Total ascent: 812 m
Category: HC