Coll de Faidella

Overview

Coll de Faidella is a Category 2 climb in Spain, running 11.8 km from a start elevation of 733 m to a summit at 1,239 m. On paper it is a mid-length effort with a net elevation gain of 506 m and an average gradient of 4.29%, numbers that suggest a steady, moderate grind. Those figures alone, however, undersell what the road actually asks of your legs.

The gap between net elevation gain and total ascent is the number that matters here. You gain 506 m in altitude between the start and the summit, but the road forces 960 m of total climbing to get there. That 454 m difference means you spend a significant amount of the climb giving back height you have already won, then re-climbing it. Plan your effort around 960 m of vertical work, not 506 m, or the second half will feel far harder than the average gradient led you to expect.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The 4.29% average is a blend, not a description of the road. Because 454 m of the climbing is spent recovering lost ground, long stretches sit well below average, and the true climbing pitches sit well above it. The maximum gradient touches 15.94%, so the steep ramps are genuinely steep and will spike your power if you hit them in the wrong gear.

• Flatter and downhill recovery sections where the road gives back elevation
• Repeated short climbs stacked between those dips, each resetting your rhythm
• A steepest ramp reaching 15.94%, sharp enough to demand a low gear and out-of-saddle effort

Pacing Notes

On an undulating climb like Faidella, chase even effort, not even speed. Hold a consistent sustainable power output through both the steep ramps and the flatter drags; let your speed rise on the descents and dip on the pitches rather than forcing a fixed pace. Surging to hold speed on the 15.94% sections wastes matches you will want later. Use the FTP estimator to anchor a target number before you start, then ride to that ceiling on the ramps and spin the recovery sections rather than hammering them.

Gearing

The steepest gradient governs your setup. At 15.94%, a standard mid-compact will leave you grinding a cadence that shreds your legs. Fit a compact or sub-compact chainset paired with a wide-range cassette — a 34×32 or 34×34 gives you the low gear to spin the steepest ramps at a sustainable cadence. Check your setup before the ride; discovering you are over-geared halfway up a 15.94% ramp is not the moment to find out.

Summary

• Length: 11.8 km
• Average gradient: 4.29%
• Maximum gradient: 15.94%
• Net elevation gain: 506 m
• Total ascent: 960 m
• Category: 2

Coll de Faidella rewards riders who read the profile past the average. Gear low, pace by effort, and budget for 960 m of climbing across its 11.8 km — do that, and this Category 2 will ride to plan rather than surprise you.