Collado de Carmona

Overview

Collado de Carmona is a category-2 climb that packs a genuine punch into a compact 6.8 km. From a valley floor at 220 m, the road hauls you up to a 650 m summit, a net gain of 430 m at an average gradient of 6.29%. That average tells only half the story: with pitches touching 16.17%, this is a climb of rhythm and rupture rather than a steady, metronomic drag. The total ascent registers 415 m, meaning almost every metre of the climb is spent going up — there are precious few false flats or recovery dips to hide in. It sits solidly in the middle tier of the categorised ladder (below HC and category 1, above the gentler 3s and 4s), which is exactly where it feels: hard enough to hurt, short enough to attack.

How the Gradient Unfolds

Do the arithmetic and the shape reveals itself. A 6.29% average over 6.8 km would be a manageable tempo effort if the road held that number honestly. It does not. The gap between the 6.29% mean and the 16.17% maximum is enormous — nearly ten points — which means the easier stretches must sit well below average to balance the steep ramps out. Expect the climb to alternate: sections that let you settle, punctuated by walls that spike toward that 16.17% peak and force you out of the saddle. The 415 m total ascent against a 430 m net gain confirms the profile is almost monotonically upward, so what recovery exists comes from gradient softening, not from actually going downhill. Ride it blind and the steep pitches will ambush you; ride it knowing the shape and you can meter your effort across the ramps.

Pacing Notes

The key to Carmona is protecting yourself for the steep ramps. Over 6.8 km at 6.29%, the climb is long enough that going into the red early on a 16.17% wall will cost you dearly by the summit. Anchor your effort to your FTP: aim to sit just under threshold on the moderate sections and allow controlled surges above it only where the gradient forces your hand. If you don't know your current threshold, run the numbers through the FTP estimator before you plan a target. Banking a small buffer on the flatter pitches gives you the headroom to absorb the steepest ramps without blowing apart.

Gearing

With a maximum of 16.17% and an average of 6.29%, this is a climb where a compact and a wide cassette earn their keep. A 34×32 is the sensible baseline — it keeps your cadence civil across most of the 6.8 km. But given the 16.17% ramps, a 34×34 is the smarter choice for most riders, buying you a few extra teeth to spin through the walls rather than grinding them out at damaging low cadence. Over 430 m of climbing, preserving your legs with the easier ratio pays dividends near the 650 m summit.

Summary

Collado de Carmona is a short, sharp category-2 test: fast riders can attack it, but its 16.17% ramps demand respect and honest gearing. Know the shape, pace to the walls, and it rewards you.

Length: 6.8 km
Average gradient: 6.29%
Max gradient: 16.17%
Start: 220 m
Summit: 650 m
Net gain: 430 m
Total ascent: 415 m
Category: 2