Collada de Clarà

Overview

The Collada de Clarà is a category 3 climb that trades on patience rather than punishment. Over its 11 km it lifts you from a start elevation of 488 m to a summit of 890 m, a net gain of 402 m at an average gradient of 3.67%. That average reads gentle, and for long stretches it is — but the total ascent of 444 m tells you the road doesn't rise in a clean, uninterrupted line. There are dips and false flats folded into those 11 km, meaning you climb more than the net figure suggests and give a little back along the way. It is the kind of ascent that rewards riders who can hold a rhythm and resist the urge to attack every ramp.

How the Gradient Unfolds

Do not let the 3.67% average lull you. The defining feature of this climb is the gap between that number and the 13.46% maximum — a spread of nearly ten percentage points. When a climb's peak gradient is more than three and a half times its average, the difficulty is concentrated rather than spread evenly. Expect long shallow sections that let you spin, broken by one or more steep pitches where the road briefly rears up toward that 13.46% figure. The 444 m of total ascent against 402 m of net gain confirms the profile isn't monotonic: you'll crest small rises and descend into shallow troughs before climbing again, so the elevation ticks up in steps rather than a single ramp.

Pacing Notes

Because the hard metres are clustered, average power is the wrong target here. Ride the shallow sections comfortably below your FTP and save the matches for the steep pitch near the maximum, where holding pace matters most. If you don't know your threshold, run the numbers through the FTP estimator first, then treat the flatter kilometres as recovery and the 13.46% ramp as a short, deliberate effort. Over 11 km a steady sub-threshold pace with one measured surge will get you to the top far fresher than trying to smooth out an average that the terrain simply won't cooperate with.

Gearing

For a climb averaging 3.67% but spiking to 13.46%, gearing choice is about surviving the ramps, not the average. A compact chainset paired with a wide-range cassette gives you the flexibility to spin the flats and still have an escape gear for the steep pitch. A 34×32 is the sensible baseline for most riders and will cover the bulk of the climb comfortably. If you weigh more, ride at lower cadence, or want insurance against that 13.46% max, step up to a 34×34 — the extra range costs you nothing on the shallow sections and keeps your knees happy when the road bites.

Summary

The Collada de Clarà is a well-mannered category 3 climb with one honest sting. Ride the 11 km smoothly, respect the 13.46% pitch, and gear for comfort over the 402 m of net gain.

Length: 11 km
Average gradient: 3.67%
Max gradient: 13.46%
Start: 488 m
Summit: 890 m
Net gain: 402 m
Total ascent: 444 m
Category: 3