Coll de Perilló

Overview

The Coll de Perilló is a Category 1 climb that rewards patience and punishes bravado. Over 16.3 km it averages 5.61%, carrying you from a valley floor at 164 m up to a summit at 1079 m. On paper that is a net gain of 915 m, but the road gives back 31 m of that along the way — the total ascent lands at 884 m — so this is not a relentless one-way stairway. The headline number that will stick in your legs is the 25.76% max gradient, a ramp so steep it can dwarf everything else on the profile. At 16.3 km this is a long climb, long enough that how you meter your effort matters more than raw power.

How the Gradient Unfolds

A 5.61% average across 16.3 km sounds mild, and in isolated stretches it is. The problem is variance. To average that figure while spiking to 25.76%, the climb must hold long shallower sections that let the steep pitches exist without blowing the mean apart. Expect the road to breathe: kilometres that roll near or below the average, punctuated by sharp kicks that force you out of the saddle. The 31 m gap between the 915 m net gain and the 884 m total ascent confirms there are false flats or brief descents woven in — small mercies that reset your legs before the next ramp. Read the profile before you ride it, because the 5.61% number hides where the real work is.

Pacing Notes

Treat the average as a budget, not a target. On a 16.3 km climb, riding the shallow sections too hard leaves nothing for the 25.76% wall. Anchor your effort to your FTP: settle the sustained kilometres at a percentage of threshold you can hold for the full 16.3 km, then accept that the steepest ramps will drag you above it briefly. Those spikes are unavoidable — the goal is to keep them short and controlled, not to fight the gradient at every pedal stroke. If you are unsure of your threshold, run the numbers through the FTP estimator first so your target zones reflect reality rather than optimism. A climb that gains 915 m does not forgive an over-cooked first third.

Gearing

The 25.76% max is the deciding factor here. On a pitch that steep, cadence collapses and torque demands spike, so gear for the wall, not the average. A compact 34-tooth chainring paired with a 34×32 sprocket gives most riders enough range to keep turning through the sustained 5.61% grind. But given a ramp approaching 26%, a 34×34 setup is the smarter insurance — that extra sprocket buys precious cadence exactly where you need it most and can be the difference between spinning and stalling. If your legs or altitude leave you short, the 34×34 is the one to have fitted before you start.

Summary

The Coll de Perilló is a long, variable Category 1 effort: a manageable 5.61% average stretched over 16.3 km, spiked by a fierce 25.76% ramp, delivering you to a 1079 m summit. Pace it to your threshold, gear for the steepest metre, and the 915 m of gain becomes an achievement rather than an ordeal.

Length: 16.3 km
Average gradient: 5.61%
Max gradient: 25.76%
Start: 164 m
Summit: 1079 m
Net gain: 915 m
Total ascent: 884 m
Category: 1