Coll de Redó

Overview

Coll de Redó is a long, patient climb that trades brute steepness for sheer duration. Over 25.7 km it lifts you from just 11 m above sea level to a summit of 1194 m, a net gain of 1183 m. The average gradient of 4.61% sounds gentle on paper, and for long stretches it is — but that average hides a maximum pitch of 22.91%, a wall steep enough to break a rhythm you have spent twenty minutes building. Add in the total ascent of 1269 m, which exceeds the net gain of 1183 m, and you learn something important: this road does not climb in a single clean line. It rolls, dips and recovers, banking small descents that you will pay back with interest higher up. It is a category-1 effort — one rung below hors catégorie — and it earns that rating through length rather than relentless severity.

How the Gradient Unfolds

Because the total ascent of 1269 m is 86 m more than the 1183 m net gain, the profile includes false flats and short downhill reprieves. That means the ramps that actually count are steeper than the 4.61% headline. Early kilometres from the 11 m base tend to be the most forgiving, letting you warm into the effort. The difficulty is back-loaded: as the road works toward 1194 m, the gentle average is punctuated by sharp kickers, culminating in that 22.91% maximum. Treat the average as a bookkeeping figure, not a promise. The real climb is a sequence of harder pitches stitched together by easier ground.

Pacing Notes

Twenty-five kilometres is long enough that pacing decides everything. Anchor your effort to your FTP and hold something in reserve for the steep ramps near the top rather than the mellow lower slopes. If you do not know your threshold, estimate it first with the FTP estimator. On the 4.61% sections, settle into a sustainable tempo; when the gradient spikes toward 22.91%, let your power surge briefly but keep it short — a 22.91% pitch on tired legs after climbing over 1100 m will spike your heart rate fast. Fuel and drink early, because the summit at 1194 m is a long way from the 11 m start.

Gearing

The 4.61% average is not what dictates your gearing here — the 22.91% maximum is. For a climb gaining 1183 m over 25.7 km, prioritise a low bailout gear so you can spin the steep ramps rather than grind them. A 34×32 is the sensible baseline for most riders, giving enough range to keep cadence up through the harder pitches. If you tire late in long efforts, or you carry any extra weight, size up to a 34×34 — the extra sprocket is cheap insurance against the 22.91% wall arriving after more than an hour of climbing.

Summary

Coll de Redó is a duration climb with a sting in the tail: forgiving averages, a punishing peak ramp, and 1183 m of net elevation to work through. Pace it by your threshold, gear for the steep sections, and respect the fact that the total ascent runs 86 m beyond the net gain.

Length: 25.7 km
Average gradient: 4.61%
Max gradient: 22.91%
Start: 11 m
Summit: 1194 m
Net gain: 1183 m
Total ascent: 1269 m
Category: 1