Berderizko lepoa

Overview

Berderizko lepoa is a short but genuinely severe climb: 6 km of road that averages 8.56% and tops out at a leg-breaking 18.25%. It starts at 92 m and finishes at 605 m, a summit that sits 513 m of net height above where you began. The category 1 label is well earned — this is one rung below hors catégorie, and over such a compact distance the relentless steepness is what makes it bite. There is nowhere to hide across these 6 km, and the numbers make clear why: an 8.56% average sustained the whole way is the kind of gradient most riders can only hold in short bursts.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The defining feature here is density. On a longer climb an 8.56% average is often smoothed out by flatter stretches, but across only 6 km there simply is not enough road to dilute it. Expect the gradient to hover around and above its average for long, unbroken sections, with ramps clawing up toward the 18.25% maximum. Those steepest pitches are more than double the average, so the climb effectively alternates between "hard" and "brutal" rather than "hard" and "recovery." The 513 m of net gain and the slightly lower 494 m of total ascent tell you this is an almost purely upward road — there is barely any descending or false-flat to reset your legs before the next wall.

Pacing Notes

On a climb this steep and this short, pacing is about damage control on the steepest ramps rather than clever energy distribution. Anchor your effort to your FTP: the average 8.56% will already push most riders toward threshold, and every surge past it — especially where the road hits 18.25% — spends matches you cannot get back over just 6 km. If you do not know your current threshold, run the numbers through the FTP estimator first, then aim to sit just under it on the average slopes so you have headroom for the ramps. Ride the first kilometre conservatively; with 513 m still to climb, going into the red early on this gradient is unforgiving.

Gearing

Steep and sustained is exactly the profile that punishes tall gearing. For an 8.56% average spiking to 18.25%, give yourself a bailout. A compact 34-tooth chainring paired with a 34×32 low is a sensible baseline for strong climbers, but on the 18.25% pitches many riders will want a 34×34 to keep cadence up and protect the knees. If you tend to grind, err toward the easier 34×34 — spinning a slightly lower gear over these 6 km will cost you far less than muscling a big gear up walls this severe.

Summary

Berderizko lepoa is a concentrated category 1 test: 6 km with no relief, an 8.56% average, and ramps to 18.25% that decide how the day goes. Respect the steepest pitches, gear low, and hold something back through the first kilometre.

Length: 6 km
Average gradient: 8.56%
Max gradient: 18.25%
Start: 92 m
Summit: 605 m
Net gain: 513 m
Total ascent: 494 m
Category: 1