Collado Ormazal

Overview

Collado Ormazal is a long, patient category 1 climb that rewards riders who respect its length before its steepness. Over 28.7 km it lifts you from a start elevation of 598 m to a summit at 1898 m, a net gain of 1300 m. The total ascent of 1374 m tells you the road is not perfectly monotonic — there are short reprieves and dips that add a little extra climbing beyond the raw elevation difference. At 4.53% average gradient this is not a wall, but at nearly 29 km it is a sustained effort that adds up relentlessly.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The headline average of 4.53% flatters the hardest sections. A max gradient of 16.98% means there are pitches more than three times steeper than the mean, and the extra 74 m of total ascent over the 1300 m net gain confirms the profile is uneven rather than smoothly graded. Expect the climb to alternate between long moderate drags where you can settle into a rhythm and sharp ramps that force you out of the saddle. Because the average is diluted by gentler kilometres, the steep sections feel disproportionately hard when they arrive. Treat the whole 28.7 km as a single sustained block and do not let the mellow stretches trick you into overspending before a ramp bites.

Pacing Notes

On a climb this long, pacing discipline matters more than raw power. Anchor your effort to your FTP and aim to hold a steady, sustainable percentage of it across the full 28.7 km rather than surging on every ramp. The 16.98% pitches will spike your power well above threshold no matter how smooth you ride — plan for that by keeping your baseline effort conservative so you have headroom when the road tilts up. If you do not have a current threshold number, use the FTP estimator before your attempt so your targets reflect real form. With 1300 m of net gain to absorb, going out too hard in the first third is the classic mistake here.

Gearing

Gear for the steep pitches, not the average. While 4.53% is spinnable on almost anything, the 16.98% max gradient — arriving late in a 28.7 km climb when your legs are already deep into 1374 m of ascent — is where compact-friendly ratios earn their keep. A 34×32 is a sensible minimum for most fit riders, giving you a bailout cog for the sharpest ramps. If you climb at a lower cadence, carry more weight, or simply want insurance for the final steep sections near the 1898 m summit, step up to a 34×34. The extra range costs you nothing on the gentle kilometres and protects your knees and rhythm on the ramps.

Summary

Collado Ormazal is a length-first climb: long, sustained, and punctuated by ramps sharp enough to demand real gearing. Pace it by threshold, gear for the steep pitches, and let the 28.7 km come to you.

Length: 28.7 km
Average gradient: 4.53%
Max gradient: 16.98%
Start: 598 m
Summit: 1898 m
Net gain: 1300 m
Total ascent: 1374 m
Category: 1