Coll de la Plana

Overview

Coll de la Plana is short on paper and savage in practice. Over just 4.7 km it hauls you from 836 m to a 1440 m summit, a net gain of 604 m packed into a distance most riders could cover on the flat in ten minutes. The average gradient is a punishing 12.74%, and it never really lets you catch your breath. Officially a Category 1 climb — one tier below hors catégorie — it earns that rating through sheer, unrelenting steepness rather than length. This is a climb defined by its slope, not its scale.

How the Gradient Unfolds

There is no easing-in here. With a 12.74% average across 4.7 km, the road tilts up sharply from the very first metre and stays tilted. The defining feature is the pitch to 17.53% — a maximum gradient that pushes deep into the range where staying upright and turning the pedals becomes a full-body effort. Because the average sits so close to the max, the climb offers few genuine flat sections to recover on; the "easier" stretches are still brutally steep by most standards. Expect the road to hover in double digits almost continuously, with the sharpest ramps arriving where the 17.53% peak bites hardest. The net gain of 604 m against a total ascent of 578 m tells you this is a near-continuous drag upward, with almost no rolling relief.

Pacing Notes

On a wall this steep, pacing is survival. Your FTP is the number to respect here — a 12.74% average means power spikes well above threshold are almost unavoidable on the 17.53% ramps, so the goal is to keep the surges as brief as possible. Start conservatively; the temptation to attack the lower slopes will cost you dearly before the summit at 1440 m. If you do not know your threshold, run the numbers through the FTP estimator before you tackle this one, then aim to hold just under threshold on the steadier pitches and spend your matches only when the grade forces your hand. Cadence will drop; let it, rather than blowing up trying to spin.

Gearing

Do not under-gear this climb. With a 12.74% average and a 17.53% maximum, most riders will want the lowest ratio they can bolt on. A 34×32 is the bare minimum for a strong climber, and even then those steepest ramps will feel like they are stalling you out. For everyone else — or anyone tackling this at the end of a long day — a 34×34 is the smarter choice, giving you a spinnable cadence when the road hits its worst. If your bike accepts a wider cassette, take it. On gradients like these, an easier gear is not a weakness; it is the difference between riding and walking.

Summary

Coll de la Plana is a compact, ferocious Category 1 climb that trades distance for pure, sustained steepness. Come with low gears, a disciplined pacing plan, and respect for a road that averages 12.74% and spikes to 17.53%.

Length: 4.7 km
Average gradient: 12.74%
Max gradient: 17.53%
Start: 836 m
Summit: 1440 m
Net gain: 604 m
Total ascent: 578 m
Category: 1