Collado del Llamp

Overview

Collado del Llamp is a category-1 ascent that starts almost at sea level and hauls you skyward. Over 16.3 km the road climbs from a start elevation of 26 m to a summit at 970 m, a net gain of 944 m with 938 m of total ascent packed into the effort. The average gradient reads a deceptively civil 5.79%, but that figure hides a sting: a maximum pitch of 21.82% waits somewhere in the mix. This is a long, sustained climb that rewards patience early and demands grit late.

How the Gradient Unfolds

With a 5.79% average spread across 16.3 km and a 21.82% maximum, the arithmetic tells the story. The near-identical net gain of 944 m and total ascent of 938 m mean there is almost no descending or false flat to recover on — the road tilts up and stays there. That 21.82% spike is more than three and a half times the average, so the profile is not uniform: expect long stretches near the mean punctuated by at least one brutal wall. Ramps that steep are short by necessity, but they arrive when your legs are already loaded from the kilometres behind you, which is exactly what makes a category-1 climb bite.

Pacing Notes

On a climb this length, discipline beats bravado. Ride the sustained sections at or just below your threshold, and save your matches for the 21.82% wall rather than burning them on the more manageable 5.79% stretches. Anchoring your effort to your FTP keeps you from redlining early and blowing up before the summit at 970 m. If you do not know your threshold, run the numbers through the FTP estimator before you go, then target a steady percentage of that power on the shallower gradients and allow a controlled surge over the steepest pitch. The 944 m of climbing means the clock will be running for a while — meter your energy so you still have something left when the road refuses to relent.

Gearing

The 21.82% maximum gradient is the number that dictates your setup. A compact 34-tooth chainring paired with a 34×32 cassette is the sensible baseline for the sustained 5.79% grind, giving you a low enough ratio to spin the long middle without grinding to a stall. But for that 21.82% wall — especially arriving 944 m deep into the climb — a 34×34 is the safer choice, buying you a touch more cadence to keep the pedals turning when gravity peaks. If you tend to muscle climbs at low cadence, err toward the 34×34.

Summary

Collado del Llamp is a genuine category-1 test: long, relentless, and topped with a wall that punishes anyone who arrives already spent. Pace it against your threshold, gear low for the steep pitch, and respect the full 16.3 km.

Length: 16.3 km
Average gradient: 5.79%
Max gradient: 21.82%
Start: 26 m
Summit: 970 m
Net gain: 944 m
Total ascent: 938 m
Category: 1