Azpirotz

Overview

Azpirotz is a category 1 climb that packs a genuine punch into a compact profile. Over 8.2 km it lifts you from a start elevation of 204 m to a summit of 838 m, a net gain of 634 m with 611 m of total ascent along the way. The average gradient is a stiff 7.72%, and that number is the headline: this is not a climb with long recovery flats hiding an easy mean. The ramps come in earnest, and the max pitch of 13.24% tells you there are moments where the road stands up and demands everything you have. Category 1 sits just below hors catégorie in difficulty, so treat Azpirotz with the respect a hard, sustained effort deserves.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The gap between the average of 7.72% and the max of 13.24% is worth studying before you start. A 5.52% spread between mean and peak is moderate, which means Azpirotz is a fairly honest climb: the steep sections are steeper than average, but the whole road hovers close to that 7.72% figure rather than swinging between flat and vertical. Expect steady, grinding pressure for most of the 8.2 km rather than dramatic rests. When the gradient bites toward 13.24%, it does so as a sharpening of an already-hard effort, not as a shock out of nowhere. Plan to hold a rhythm you can sustain from the 204 m base all the way to the 838 m top.

Pacing Notes

On a climb this consistent, pacing to your sustainable power pays off far more than heroics on the early ramps. Anchor your effort to your FTP: riding just under it keeps the 634 m of gain from turning into a blow-up on the steepest pitches. If you do not know your threshold, estimate it first with the FTP estimator so you can pick a wattage target you can actually hold for the full 8.2 km. A good rule here is to ride the average 7.72% sections a touch below threshold, leaving headroom for the 13.24% ramps where power naturally spikes. Bank nothing early — the climb is long enough that overcooking the bottom will cost you dearly near the 838 m summit.

Gearing

Given the 7.72% average and the 13.24% max, gear for the steep moments, not the mean. For most riders a compact 34-tooth inner paired with a wide cassette is the sweet spot. A 34×32 will get many trained riders up Azpirotz, but on the 13.24% ramps late in the 8.2 km — with tired legs and 611 m of ascent already in them — a 34×34 gives you a lower spin-friendly gear that protects your knees and your cadence. If in doubt, take the 34×34: an unused low gear costs nothing, while a missing one costs you the climb.

Summary

Azpirotz is a fair but serious category 1 climb — long, steady, and steep enough to punish a bad pace. Ride it to a target, gear low, and let the rhythm carry you to the top.

Length: 8.2 km
Average gradient: 7.72%
Max gradient: 13.24%
Start: 204 m
Summit: 838 m
Net gain: 634 m
Total ascent: 611 m
Category: 1