Collado del Retamar

Overview

Collado del Retamar is a category 2 climb that stretches 9.8 km from a low base at 45 m up to a summit of 552 m. That works out to 507 m of net elevation gain, delivered at an average gradient of 5.2%. On paper that average reads as steady and civilised — the kind of number you can settle into and grind out. The reality is spikier: with a maximum pitch of 12.15%, the climb hides a ramp more than twice as steep as its average, and knowing where your effort needs to go is the difference between a clean ascent and a blow-up.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The gap between the 5.2% average and the 12.15% maximum tells the whole story. A climb this long that averages 5.2% but touches 12.15% cannot be uniform — the steep pitch has to be paid for with easier, shallower stretches elsewhere. Expect the road to breathe: sections noticeably below the average where you can recover and roll, punctuated by at least one sharp kick that more than doubles the effort. The total ascent of 486 m sits just below the 507 m net gain, which means the profile is almost entirely uphill with little to no descending inside the climb — you are always working, never coasting for free. Treat the early kilometres as territory to bank rhythm before the gradient bares its teeth.

Pacing Notes

Anchor your effort to your FTP rather than to how the first ramps feel. Over 9.8 km, riding just above threshold in the opening kilometres will cost you dearly when the 12.15% pitch arrives. Aim to sit slightly under FTP on the shallower sections, then allow the effort to rise over threshold only where the gradient forces it. If you do not know your threshold number, run the numbers through the FTP estimator before you go, then set a power ceiling for the flatter stretches and a short, defined budget above it for the steepest ramp. The climb rewards discipline: the average of 5.2% is very manageable at controlled power, and the danger is entirely in over-committing to the steep bits.

Gearing

For a category 2 climb topping out at 12.15%, err generous with your ratios. A compact 34-tooth inner ring is the sensible front choice. On the back, a 34×32 will carry most riders through the 5.2% average comfortably and still cope with the steep pitch if your legs are fresh and your threshold is high. If you weigh more, ride at lower cadence, or simply want to protect your knees late in a long day, step up to a 34×34 — the extra sprocket keeps your cadence spinning through the 12.15% ramp instead of forcing a grind. When in doubt on a climb with this spread between average and maximum, the easier gear is always the right call.

Summary

Collado del Retamar is a manageable but deceptive category 2 ascent: long at 9.8 km, steady at 5.2% on average, but sharp enough at 12.15% to punish anyone who paces off feel. Ride to your FTP, gear generously, and the 507 m gain to the 552 m summit is well within reach.

Length: 9.8 km
Average gradient: 5.2%
Max gradient: 12.15%
Start: 45 m
Summit: 552 m
Net gain: 507 m
Total ascent: 486 m
Category: 2