Coll de les Nou Comes

Overview

Coll de les Nou Comes is a Category 1 climb that demands respect from the first pedal stroke. Over 16.5 km it lifts you from a start elevation of 458 m to a summit at 1551 m — a net gain of 1093 m at an average gradient of 6.62%. That average tells only part of the story: the road actually racks up 1147 m of total ascent, meaning the profile has small dips and recoveries where you claw back some height only to give it away again. This is a long, sustained effort where consistency matters far more than any single heroic surge.

How the Gradient Unfolds

An average of 6.62% across 16.5 km is the kind of number that never lets you settle. There is no easy false-flat approach to hide behind; from the base you are climbing, and you keep climbing for the full 1093 m of net elevation. The gap between the 1147 m of total ascent and the 1093 m net gain — 54 m — hints at the rolling texture of the road. Those brief descents feel like gifts, but every metre you lose you must earn back, which is why the total ascent runs higher than the raw start-to-summit difference. Treat the whole 16.5 km as one continuous block of work rather than a series of separate ramps.

Pacing Notes

On a climb this long, the winning move is discipline. Aim to hold a steady effort just below your threshold rather than chasing the changing gradient. Your FTP is the single most useful number here: settle into a power or perceived-effort band you can sustain for the roughly hour-plus this 16.5 km ascent will take, and resist the urge to bury yourself early. If you are not sure where your threshold sits, run your recent numbers through the FTP estimator before you commit to a target. With 1093 m of climbing ahead, going even slightly too deep in the opening kilometres will cost you dearly near the 1551 m summit.

Gearing

At 6.62% average over 16.5 km, gearing is not a luxury — it is what keeps your cadence high and your legs fresh across 1093 m of climbing. A compact chainring paired with a wide-range cassette is the sensible baseline. For most riders a 34×32 gives enough range to spin the steady sections without grinding, but on a Category 1 effort of this length many will be glad of a 34×34 to protect the knees and keep the pedals turning smoothly through the rolling stretches that push the total ascent to 1147 m. Choose the easier option if you are in any doubt; you cannot make a climb this long harder by having a gear to spare.

Summary

Coll de les Nou Comes is a proper Category 1 test: 16.5 km, a 6.62% average, and 1093 m of net elevation gain from 458 m to 1551 m, with 1147 m of total ascent once the rolling road is accounted for. Pace it patiently, gear it generously, and it rewards you with one of the more satisfying summits around.

Length: 16.5 km
Average gradient: 6.62%
Max gradient: n/a
Start: 458 m
Summit: 1551 m
Net gain: 1093 m
Total ascent: 1147 m
Category: 1