Collet Roig

Overview

Collet Roig is a long, patient climb. Over 15.6 km it lifts you from 283 m at the base to 917 m at the summit, a net gain of 634 m at an average gradient of 4.06%. On paper that average reads gentle, and for long stretches it is. But the headline number hides the story: a maximum gradient of 17.29% waits somewhere on the road, more than four times steeper than the average. This is a category 2 climb — not the hors catégorie monsters, but far from a warm-up. It rewards riders who can hold a rhythm for the better part of an hour and still have something left when the grade bites.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The 4.06% average is the flattening effect of a climb that clearly is not uniform. With a 17.29% maximum pitch pulling the ceiling that high, the easier kilometres must be genuinely easy to keep the mean so low. Expect the profile to alternate: shallow ramps and false flats that let you spin and recover, punctuated by short, sharp walls that force you out of the saddle. The gap between total ascent (622 m) and net elevation gain (634 m) is small — only 12 m — which tells you the road climbs almost continuously rather than giving back big descents mid-route. There is very little free-wheeling here; the elevation you gain, you keep.

Pacing Notes

On a climb this long, discipline beats aggression. Anchor your effort to your FTP and resist the urge to chase the early ramps — you will need that headroom when the gradient spikes toward 17.29%. If you do not know your threshold, run your recent data through the FTP estimator before you commit to a target. A sensible plan: sit comfortably below threshold on the shallow 4% sections, then allow yourself to surge into a hard tempo on the steep pitches, knowing an easier stretch usually follows. Over 15.6 km, the riders who blow up are almost always the ones who paced to the average instead of the walls.

Gearing

Do not let the 4.06% average fool you into under-gearing. That 17.29% maximum is where compact setups earn their keep. For most riders a 34×32 gives enough range to keep a workable cadence on the steep ramps without grinding to a crawl. If you climb at a lower cadence, carry extra fatigue, or simply want insurance for the last of the 634 m of gain, step up to a 34×34. The bigger sprocket costs you nothing on the flatter kilometres and buys real comfort when the road kicks up.

Summary

Collet Roig is a climb of two personalities: long and forgiving on average, brutally steep in its worst moments. Pace it to the walls, gear for the 17.29%, and enjoy the view from 917 m.

Length: 15.6 km
Average gradient: 4.06%
Max gradient: 17.29%
Start: 283 m
Summit: 917 m
Net gain: 634 m
Total ascent: 622 m
Category: 2