Collado de las Tres Cruces

Overview

Collado de las Tres Cruces is a long, high Category 1 climb that asks for patience above everything else. It runs for 24.9 km at an average gradient of 5.58%, starting at 610 m and topping out at 2002 m. That is a net elevation gain of 1392 m, with a total ascent of 1425 m once the small dips and false flats along the way are counted in. The gap between those two figures — 33 m of extra climbing — tells you the road is not relentlessly upward; there are places where it eases or even drops slightly before rearing up again.

At nearly 25 km in length, this is a climb measured in tens of minutes rather than a handful. The Category 1 rating sits one rung below hors catégorie, and the shape of the effort — sustained rather than explosive — is exactly what that label implies.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The 5.58% average is honest but gentle-sounding, and it hides real variation. With a maximum gradient of 11.39%, there is at least one ramp roughly double the average waiting for you. Because the total ascent (1425 m) exceeds the net gain (1392 m), you know the profile is not a clean, even ramp: expect the road to relent in spots, then claw back the lost height. Those recovery sections are a gift, but they also mean the steeper pitches have to be steeper than 5.58% to keep the average where it is. Ride the flatter kilometres with control and save your matches for the 11.39% high point.

Pacing Notes

Over 24.9 km, going out too hard is the classic error. Anchor your effort to your FTP and aim to sit just under it for the bulk of the climb, allowing short surges only where the 11.39% ramp forces your hand. With 1392 m of net gain to absorb, a steady sub-threshold pace will get you to 2002 m far faster than a series of accelerations and blow-ups.

If you are unsure of your threshold number, run the FTP estimator before your attempt and set a power ceiling you can genuinely hold for the better part of an hour. On a climb this long, discipline in the first 610-to-1300 m of altitude pays back handsomely near the top.

Gearing

For a 24.9 km climb averaging 5.58% with pitches to 11.39%, prioritise a wide, low range so you can spin rather than grind. A compact chainring paired with a 34×32 bottom gear is the sensible baseline for most riders here, giving you room to keep cadence up on the sustained middle third. If you tend to fade on long efforts, or you carry any extra load, size up to 34×34 — that extra cog turns the 11.39% ramp from a survival slog into a manageable seated effort. Over 1392 m of climbing, easier gearing protects your legs for the full ascent.

Summary

Collado de las Tres Cruces rewards riders who respect its length. Pace to your threshold, gear low, and let the 5.58% average do the work of carrying you to 2002 m. Save something for the 11.39% pitch and the climb becomes a satisfying test rather than a brutal one.

Length: 24.9 km
Average gradient: 5.58%
Max gradient: 11.39%
Start: 610 m
Summit: 2002 m
Net gain: 1392 m
Total ascent: 1425 m
Category: 1