Collado La Magdalena

Overview

Collado La Magdalena is a Category 1 climb in Spain, running 22.5 km from a valley floor to a high mountain col. It starts at 1,088 m and tops out at 2,145 m, for a net elevation gain of 1,057 m. On paper its 4.69% average gradient reads as moderate, but the length and altitude put it firmly in serious-climb territory.

The gap between the numbers is where the real story sits. The net gain is 1,057 m, but the total ascent is 2,084 m — a difference of 1,027 m. That means roughly half of your climbing is spent regaining height you already surrendered on descents and dips along the way. Undulation on this scale reshapes the effort: you cannot settle into a single rhythm and grind, because the road keeps taking back what you climb.

How the Gradient Unfolds

A 4.69% average across 22.5 km hides both the flat, freewheeling stretches and the sharp ramps that punctuate them. With a maximum pitch of 19.84%, there are sections far steeper than the number suggests, and they arrive between softer terrain rather than in one continuous wall.

• Flatter and downhill recovery sections that pull the average down and let you eat, drink, and reset.
• Repeated short climbs — the re-climbed 1,027 m surfaces as punchy rollers rather than one long grade.
• A steepest ramp near 19.84%, where you shift down early and protect your legs.

Pacing Notes

On a smooth, steady climb you would pace to even effort and let speed vary. Here, the undulation makes even-effort pacing even more important: hammering the flats and descents burns matches you will want on the next ramp. Hold a steady sustainable power output through the climbs, then ease — not sprint — across the flat and downhill relief so your average speed climbs without your heart rate spiking. If you do not know your ceiling, run the FTP estimator beforehand and set a target you can defend for well over an hour.

Gearing

The 19.84% maximum is what dictates your setup, not the 4.69% average. Fit a compact (34-tooth inner) or sub-compact chainset paired with a wide-range cassette — a 34×32 or 34×34 low gear gives you the cadence to spin the steep ramps rather than lever them over. Check your chainset and cassette before the ride: on a 22.5 km climb with pitches this steep, discovering you are over-geared halfway up is a long, painful mistake.

Summary

• Length: 22.5 km
• Average gradient: 4.69%
• Maximum gradient: 19.84%
• Net elevation gain: 1,057 m
• Total ascent: 2,084 m
• Category: 1

Collado La Magdalena rewards riders who respect the gap between its gentle average and its 2,084 m of total climbing. Pace to effort, gear for the 19.84% ramp, and treat the descents as recovery — not free speed — and this Category 1 ascent stays manageable to the col.