Collado de Igena

Overview

Collado de Igena is a 7.4 km category 2 climb that lifts you from a low start at 58 m to a summit of 525 m. That is a net gain of 467 m over the ascent, with a total ascent of 439 m once the small dips and flat sections are subtracted from the raw elevation change. The average gradient of 6.29% marks this as a steady, honest climb rather than a savage wall — but with a maximum pitch of 11.21%, there is enough sharpness in places to catch you out if you have burned your matches early.

At just under 7.4 km, this is the kind of effort that sits comfortably in the 20-to-35-minute range for most riders, long enough to demand pacing discipline but short enough that a strong sustained effort pays off all the way to the line.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The headline number to hold in your mind is the 6.29% average. On a climb of 7.4 km, that average is the product of gentler ramps offset by steeper kicks — the gap between the 6.29% mean and the 11.21% maximum tells you the road is not uniform. Expect stretches that sit near or just below the average, punctuated by ramps that rear up toward that double-digit maximum.

Because the difference between total ascent (439 m) and net gain (467 m) is small, the profile trends almost relentlessly upward without significant descending relief. There is nowhere to freewheel and recover, so any rest has to come from easing your own effort rather than from the gradient handing it to you.

Pacing Notes

Treat the 6.29% average as your reference power and aim to ride the whole 7.4 km at or just below your threshold. A good rule is to hold the steady sections at a controlled tempo and absorb the 11.21% ramps out of the saddle without letting your effort spike far above your FTP. Surging over every kick will cost you dearly on a climb with no recovery gradient.

If you are unsure what number to hold, run the FTP estimator first, then anchor your climbing pace to a sensible percentage of that figure. Aim to arrive at the 525 m summit having emptied the tank progressively, not blown apart at half distance.

Gearing

For a 7.4 km climb averaging 6.29% with ramps to 11.21%, most riders will want a compact setup with a generous cassette. A 34×32 will get strong climbers over the steepest pitches at a workable cadence, but if you are carrying fatigue or riding at a more relaxed threshold, a 34×34 gives you that extra spin to keep the pedals turning smoothly through the 11.21% sections. Err toward the easier ratio — spinning up the ramps beats grinding them.

Summary

Collado de Igena is a rewarding, steady category 2 climb: 7.4 km at 6.29% with just enough bite near 11.21% to keep you honest. Pace it to your threshold, gear low, and ride it in one sustained effort to the 525 m top.

Length: 7.4 km
Average gradient: 6.29%
Max gradient: 11.21%
Start: 58 m
Summit: 525 m
Net gain: 467 m
Total ascent: 439 m
Category: 2