Collado del Galán

Overview

Collado del Galán is a Category 1 climb that packs a serious punch into a compact 5.4 km. From the moment the road tilts up at 990 m, there is nowhere to hide: the average gradient sits at a brutal 8.76%, and the summit waits at 1459 m. That is a net gain of 469 m earned over barely more than five kilometres, with the recorded ascent totalling 434 m of vertical effort. On paper it reads like a short climb. On the bike it feels like a sustained interval that simply refuses to release you.

The character here is defined by consistency rather than variety. There is no long, gentle run-in to warm the legs and no false-flat plateau to recover on. The gradient bites early and holds firm, which is exactly what pushes this into Category 1 territory despite its modest length.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The defining feature of Collado del Galán is that the 8.76% average is close to the experience for most of the climb. Because the length is only 5.4 km and the net gain is 469 m, there is very little slack in the profile — the road is working almost the entire way up.

The steepest point reaches 12.45%, a ramp that sits well above the average and will spike your effort noticeably when you hit it. With such a short overall distance, that maximum arrives as a genuine test rather than a brief inconvenience: there is no long descent-adjacent breather afterward to let the legs flush out. Expect the gradient to hover in the high single digits, occasionally stepping up toward that 12.45% ceiling before easing back toward the average.

Pacing Notes

Short and steep climbs like this reward a disciplined effort. With only 5.4 km to cover, it is tempting to attack from the base — but at 8.76% average, going out too hard risks a painful blow-up before the 1459 m summit.

Anchor your pacing to your FTP. A climb of this length can typically be ridden slightly above threshold if you are fresh, but the 12.45% max means you will surge over threshold on the ramps regardless, so leave headroom. If you are unsure of your number, run it through the FTP estimator before you plan your effort. Aim to keep your output smooth through the steady sections and accept the spikes on the steepest ramp rather than fighting them.

Gearing

Do not under-gear this one. A sustained 8.76% with pitches to 12.45% will punish anything too tall. A compact chainset paired with a wide-range cassette is the sensible baseline: a 34×32 gives most riders enough range to keep a workable cadence on the average slope. If you tend to grind or want insurance for the 12.45% ramp, step up to 34×34 — the extra sprocket keeps your knees happier and your cadence alive when the road kicks. Given the net gain of 469 m in so little distance, err toward the easier option.

Summary

Collado del Galán is a concentrated dose of climbing: short in kilometres, uncompromising in gradient, and firmly Category 1. Gear low, pace to your threshold, and respect the ramp.

Length: 5.4 km
Average gradient: 8.76%
Max gradient: 12.45%
Start: 990 m
Summit: 1459 m
Net gain: 469 m
Total ascent: 434 m
Category: 1