Collada de Bracons

Overview

Collada de Bracons is a long, steady category 2 climb that rewards patience over power. Over 24.8 km it lifts you from 245 m at the base to a 1130 m summit — a net gain of 885 m. The headline average is a gentle-sounding 3.57%, and the total ascent of 880 m confirms this is a climb of length rather than relentless wall. But the 3.57% figure hides real teeth: a maximum pitch of 14.44% means there are moments where the road bites hard. Treat it as an endurance effort punctuated by short, sharp reminders that you still have to work.

How the Gradient Unfolds

With 885 m of net gain spread across 24.8 km, the arithmetic tells the story: this is not a uniform slope. A true 3.57% grade held for the full distance would feel almost pedalable in the big ring. Instead, the near-4% average is an average of contrasts — flatter, recovering sections offset by ramps that climb toward the 14.44% maximum. Expect the road to breathe: stretches where you settle into rhythm, then pinches that force you out of the saddle or down through the cassette. Because the total ascent (880 m) sits so close to the net gain (885 m), there is little in the way of descending along the way — almost every metre you climb, you keep. That makes it a genuinely cumulative effort where fatigue builds quietly across the 24.8 km rather than in one brutal block.

Pacing Notes

The single biggest mistake on a climb this long is going out too hard on the early slopes. With a 3.57% average, it is tempting to push a big gear from the base — but 24.8 km is a long time to hold a mistake. Anchor your effort to your FTP and aim to ride the sustained sections just below threshold, saving matches for the steep pinches toward the 14.44% maximum. If you do not know your threshold, run the numbers through the FTP estimator before you commit to a target. On the ramps, let your power drift above threshold briefly, then ease back to your baseline as the gradient relaxes. Ride the average, respect the maximum.

Gearing

For a 24.8 km climb averaging 3.57% with spikes to 14.44%, gear for the steep moments, not the average. A compact 34-tooth chainring is the sensible front. Pair it with at least a 34×32 for the sustained middle, which keeps your cadence comfortable on the long grind. But given the 14.44% pitches, a 34×34 is the smarter choice for most riders — that extra sprocket lets you spin rather than grind when the road kicks up, protecting your legs across the full 885 m of climbing. If your bike allows it, err toward the easier ratio; you will never regret a spare gear on a climb this long.

Summary

Collada de Bracons is a climb that tests staying power. Long, mostly steady, and topped with sharp ramps, it is best ridden with discipline: pace to your threshold, gear for the steep bits, and let the 24.8 km come to you.

Length: 24.8 km
Average gradient: 3.57%
Max gradient: 14.44%
Start: 245 m
Summit: 1130 m
Net gain: 885 m
Total ascent: 880 m
Category: 2