Collado de Pedralva

Overview

Collado de Pedralva is a Category 1 climb in Spain. It runs 8.2 km from a start elevation of 892 m to a summit of 1,583 m, delivering a net elevation gain of 691 m. On paper that is a sustained, honest ascent: long enough to demand pacing discipline, steep enough on average to keep you honest the whole way up.

The number that reshapes the effort is total ascent. Against 691 m of net gain, the road actually climbs 872 m — a 181 m difference. That gap is undulation: sections where the road dips or flattens and then climbs again, forcing you to re-accelerate and reclaim gradient you thought you had banked. Plan around the net figure and you will underestimate the work. The climb makes you pay for those 181 m in repeated efforts, not one smooth grind.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The 8.43% average is a blend, not a constant. Because the profile undulates, that mean hides both easier stretches and ramps well above 8.43%. Do not treat the average as the number you will hold — the steep pitches sit above it, and the recovery sections drag it back down.

• Flatter or slightly descending sections where you recover, but which also mean the climbing pitches are steeper than the average implies
• Repeated short climbs stacked through the middle, each demanding a fresh surge of power
• The steepest ramp, sharper than 8.43%, best met with reserve in the legs rather than a maximal effort

Pacing Notes

On an undulating climb like this, even-effort beats even-speed. Chasing a constant speed forces you into the red on every ramp and lets you coast on the dips — a pattern that empties the tank early. Instead, hold a steady sustainable power output and let your speed rise and fall with the gradient: slower on the ramps, faster on the flatter breaks.

The 181 m of extra ascent means more of these micro-transitions than the net gain suggests, so protecting that steady effort matters even more here. If you do not know your ceiling, run the FTP estimator before you ride and set a target you can defend across all 8.2 km.

Gearing

A sustained 8.43% average over 8.2 km, with ramps sitting above it, calls for low gearing. Fit a compact (34-tooth inner) or sub-compact chainset paired with a wide-range cassette — a 34×32 or 34×34 gives you a spinning gear for the steep pitches so you can hold cadence instead of grinding. On the sharpest ramp you want a gear in reserve, not one you have already used up. Check your chainset and cassette before the ride; swapping a cassette at the roadside is not an option.

Summary

• Length: 8.2 km
• Average gradient: 8.43%
• Net elevation gain: 691 m
• Total ascent: 872 m
• Category: 1

Collado de Pedralva is a Category 1 climb that rewards riders who respect its undulation. Pace to power, gear low, and treat the 872 m of total ascent — not the 691 m net gain — as the real measure of the day.