Collada de Petraficha

Overview

Collada de Petraficha is an HC climb in Spain, topping out at 1,994 m. It runs 8.1 km from a start elevation of 1,141 m to its summit, delivering a net elevation gain of 853 m. At an average gradient of 10.5%, this is a relentlessly steep ascent that earns its hors catégorie rating without any qualifier.

The net gain of 853 m tells only part of the story. The total ascent on this climb is 1,130 m — 277 m more than the point-to-point difference between start and summit. That gap means the road does not climb cleanly; it gives back roughly 277 m of altitude across dips and false descents that you then have to reclaim. The practical consequence is that your legs do more work than the 853 m figure suggests, and every metre lost to a downhill is a metre you pay for again on the next ramp.

How the Gradient Unfolds

A 10.5% average is already brutal, but averages smooth over the extremes. On a climb with this much undulation, the mean gradient hides both the recovery dips and the walls that push well past it — the steepest ramp bites at 33.21%. Expect the road to swing hard between pitches rather than settle into a rhythm.

• Short flatter or descending sections where the profile gives back altitude — brief recovery, but they cost you the height again
• Repeated steep pitches stacked back to back, well above the 10.5% average
• The steepest ramp at 33.21%, a wall that will force you out of the saddle or into your lowest gear

Pacing Notes

On an undulating climb like this, chasing an even speed is a trap — you will overcook the steep ramps trying to hold a number the gradient won't allow. Pace by even effort instead, anchored to your sustainable power output. Let your speed collapse on the 30%-plus pitches and recover it on the dips, keeping your effort steady across the whole 8.1 km rather than your pace.

If you don't know your ceiling, run the numbers through the FTP estimator before you go, then ride the ramps at or just below that threshold and use the flatter sections to bring your heart rate back down.

Gearing

The 33.21% maximum gradient dictates your setup, not the average. On a wall that steep, a standard compact alone will not save you. Run a sub-compact chainset paired with a wide-range cassette — a 34×32 as a minimum, and 34×34 if your derailleur will take it. Anything less and you will be grinding at a cadence low enough to stall or forcing repeated standing efforts that drain you before the summit. Check your chainrings and cassette fit the day before the ride, not at the trailhead.

Summary

• Length: 8.1 km
• Average gradient: 10.5%
• Maximum gradient: 33.21%
• Net elevation gain: 853 m
• Total ascent: 1,130 m
• Category: HC

Collada de Petraficha is a short but savage HC effort where the undulation and the 33.21% ramp matter as much as the 10.5% average. Come with the right gearing and an even-effort plan, and the 853 m of net gain is manageable — arrive underprepared and the extra 277 m of hidden climbing will find you.