Coll de Porc

Overview

The Coll de Porc is a short but genuinely punishing climb: 4.5 km of road that averages 8.16% and rarely gives you a moment to sit up and breathe. Starting at just 55 m above sea level, it hauls you up to a summit at 424 m, a net gain of 369 m packed into a distance most riders can cover in well under half an hour — if they pace it right. The total ascent measures 332 m, a reminder that even a "short" climb like this asks for serious commitment. Its category 2 rating undersells how it feels on the legs; at these gradients, the number on the sign matters less than the burn in your quads.

How the Gradient Unfolds

Do the math and the shape becomes clear. An 8.16% average over 4.5 km is already firmly in "big ring stays home" territory, but averages hide the real story. The maximum gradient hits 16.75% — more than double the average — which means the climb is front-loaded with steep pitches rather than a smooth, even grind. Expect the road to pulse between merely hard and brutally steep. Because the summit sits 369 m above the start over such a compact distance, there is nowhere to recover: no false flats long enough to matter, no descents to break the rhythm. You climb, and you keep climbing.

Pacing Notes

The temptation on a climb this short is to attack from the base. Resist it. With ramps reaching 16.75%, going into the red early leaves nothing for the pitches that matter. Anchor your effort to your sustainable power — ideally just under your FTP so you have headroom when the gradient spikes. If you do not know your threshold, spend a session finding it with the FTP estimator before you tackle this one; guessing here is expensive. A good tactic is to ride the shallower sections a touch harder and back off slightly on the steepest ramps, letting cadence rather than force carry you over the worst of it. At 8.16% average, small pacing errors compound fast.

Gearing

This is not a climb for heroics with a compact-and-a-prayer setup. With sustained gradients above 8% and spikes near 16.75%, you want a bailout gear that lets you spin rather than grind. A 34×32 is the sensible minimum here — it will get most fit riders up the average slope while keeping cadence respectable. But on the steepest ramps a 34×34 is the smarter choice, giving you that extra sprocket to protect your knees and your composure when the road kicks toward 16.75%. If your bike accepts a 34×34, fit it and thank yourself near the top.

Summary

Coll de Porc is a compact, high-intensity climb that rewards patience and punishes over-eagerness. Respect the gradient, gear low, and pace to your threshold — the summit at 424 m comes quickly once you settle into a sustainable rhythm.

Length: 4.5 km
Average gradient: 8.16%
Max gradient: 16.75%
Start: 55 m
Summit: 424 m
Net gain: 369 m
Total ascent: 332 m
Category: 2