Coll de Font de Cera

Overview

Coll de Font de Cera is a Category 3 climb in Spain. It runs 6.4 km and delivers 290 m of net elevation gain, starting at sea level (0 m) and topping out at a summit elevation of 290 m. On paper it reads as a short, moderate ascent, and the category confirms it sits toward the easier end of the classified spectrum.

The number that reshapes the story is total ascent. While the net gain is 290 m, the climb actually asks you to gain 347 m over its length. That 57 m difference means the road gives back roughly 57 m of elevation somewhere along the way, then makes you re-earn it. This is an undulating climb, not a steady grind, and the extra vertical work is effort you feel in the legs even though the map only shows 290 m from bottom to top.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The 4.52% average is a blend, not a description of any single section. With 57 m of hidden descent baked into the profile, the true climbing pitches are steeper than the average implies, and the maximum touches 9.92%. Expect the road to break its rhythm rather than settle into one gradient.

• Flatter or briefly descending sections where the road gives back elevation and lets you recover
• Repeated short climbs that follow each dip, each one steeper than the 4.52% average suggests
• The steepest ramp at 9.92%, where you'll want a gear in reserve

Pacing Notes

On a steady climb you can hold even effort and let speed drift. Here, the undulation makes even-speed pacing a trap: chasing a constant speed over the dips wastes energy, then spikes your output on the ramps. Aim for even effort instead. Ride the false-flats and descents easy, and accept that the steep pitches will slow you.

Anchor your effort to your sustainable power output rather than the speedometer. If you don't know that number, run the FTP estimator before you go, then hold a touch below threshold on the ramps so you have headroom for the 9.92% maximum.

Gearing

The steepest gradient governs your gearing choice, and 9.92% at the end of a rolling climb is enough to punish a road-race setup. Run a compact or sub-compact chainset paired with a wide-range cassette — a 34×32 or 34×34 gives you a spin-friendly bailout gear for the steepest ramp without forcing you out of the saddle. Check your setup before the ride so you aren't discovering a missing gear on the 9.92% pitch.

Summary

• Length: 6.4 km
• Average gradient: 4.52%
• Maximum gradient: 9.92%
• Net elevation gain: 290 m
• Total ascent: 347 m
• Category: 3

Coll de Font de Cera is short and officially modest, but the 57 m gap between net gain and total ascent makes it more of a workout than its category suggests. Pace it by effort, gear for the 9.92% ramp, and treat the rolling profile with respect.