coll de Sant Bartomeu

Overview

Coll de Sant Bartomeu is a category 3 climb in Spain (ES). It runs 11.3 km from a start elevation of 26 m to a summit at 390 m, for a net elevation gain of 364 m. On paper that gives it a gentle 3.21% average gradient, the kind of number that suggests a steady, low-stress drag to the top.

The average is misleading, though. Total ascent over the climb is 478 m against a net gain of 364 m, meaning you climb roughly 114 m more than the start-to-summit difference implies. That extra vertical comes from undulation: sections where the road dips and climbs again. Every metre you lose to a descent has to be won back, so the true climbing effort is meaningfully higher than the 3.21% figure suggests, and the ride will feel more punchy than smooth.

How the Gradient Unfolds

A 3.21% average across 11.3 km hides both flat, freewheeling stretches and sharp ramps. The maximum gradient hits 11.32%, so at least one pitch is steep enough to force a gear change and a hard effort well above your climbing tempo. Expect the road to break the rhythm rather than settle into one.

• Flatter and recovery sections where you can spin and even lose a little elevation
• Repeated short climbs that stack up to the 478 m total ascent
• A steepest ramp near 11.32% that demands your lowest gears

Pacing Notes

On a smooth, steady climb you can hold even effort and let speed take care of itself. This climb's undulation argues against chasing even speed, which would push you deep into the red on every ramp and let you coast on the flats. Instead, target a consistent effort at your sustainable power output, easing slightly on the steepest pitches only to avoid blowing up, then resuming on the flatter sections rather than sprinting them.

If you don't know your ceiling, run the FTP estimator first and set a target you can hold through all 11.3 km, undulation included.

Gearing

The 11.32% maximum sets your gearing requirement, not the 3.21% average. On a ramp that steep, a standard chainset will leave you grinding at low cadence. Fit a compact or sub-compact chainset paired with a wide-range cassette — a 34×32 or 34×34 low gear gives you the range to keep spinning through the steepest section without stalling. Check your setup before the ride so you're not discovering a gearing gap on the ramp itself.

Summary

• Length: 11.3 km
• Average gradient: 3.21%
• Maximum gradient: 11.32%
• Net elevation gain: 364 m
• Total ascent: 478 m
• Category: 3

Treat Coll de Sant Bartomeu as a rolling category 3 effort rather than a steady drag. The modest average hides 478 m of total climbing and an 11.32% ramp, so pace to effort, gear low, and let the flatter stretches do the recovering.