Collado del Gitano

Overview

Collado del Gitano is a Category 1 climb in Spain. It runs 16.8 km from a start elevation of 960 m to a summit at 1,954 m, with a net elevation gain of 994 m at an average gradient of 5.9%. On paper that average reads as a steady tempo climb, and for stretches it is — but the number flattens out a profile that is anything but uniform.

The tell is in the total ascent: 1,943 m of climbing to net just 994 m of height. That gap means roughly 949 m of descent is folded into the route — you give back nearly as much as you gain, then have to earn it again. This is an undulating climb, not a single sustained wall, and the repeated down-and-up costs far more energy than the net figure suggests. Budget your effort against the 1,943 m of ascent, not the 994 m on the summit sign.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The 5.9% average is a blend of genuine climbing and rolling terrain that repeatedly drops away. Expect the road to break rhythm often rather than hold one grade, so read the profile in segments instead of trusting the headline number.

• Flatter and downhill sections where the road gives back height — recovery, but also lost elevation you re-climb later.
• Repeated short climbs stacked back to back, which is where most of the 1,943 m of total ascent accumulates.
• Steeper ramps that spike well above 5.9%, sitting on the pitches after each dip.

Pacing Notes

On a smooth, even climb you can hold a fixed pace and a near-constant power. Collado del Gitano's undulation makes that impossible: chase an even speed and you will spike your power on every ramp and coast every descent, burning matches you cannot replace. Pace to effort instead. Hold your target sustainable power output on the climbing pitches, let speed rise freely on the downhills without hammering, and accept that your average speed will swing. If you do not know your ceiling, set it first with the FTP estimator, then ride the whole 16.8 km a notch below it so the repeated ramps do not compound into a blow-up.

Gearing

Gear for the ramps, not the average. The steep pitches on this climb reward a compact (34-tooth inner ring) or a sub-compact chainset paired with a wide-range cassette — a 34×32 or 34×34 low gear keeps your cadence up when the grade spikes after each dip, saving your legs across 1,943 m of total ascent. Confirm your chainset and cassette before the ride; a low gear you assumed was there but is not becomes a very long problem at 5.9% and above.

Summary

• Length: 16.8 km
• Average gradient: 5.9%
• Net elevation gain: 994 m
• Total ascent: 1,943 m
• Category: 1

Collado del Gitano is a climb whose difficulty hides inside its total-ascent figure. Respect the undulation, pace to effort, and carry a low enough gear, and the 16.8 km to 1,954 m will reward a rider who read the profile rather than the average.