Collsacreu

Overview

Collsacreu is a category 3 climb in Spain, running 7.2 km from sea level to a summit at 350 m. With a start elevation of 0 m and a net elevation gain of 350 m, it delivers a steady but manageable ascent that sits comfortably in the middle range of categorized climbs. The average gradient of 4.89% describes a road that rarely lets you settle into a single rhythm.

That average is only part of the story. The total ascent is 478 m against a net gain of just 350 m, meaning you climb an extra 128 m across the profile that you also give back on the way up. This undulation tells you the road pitches up and drops repeatedly rather than rising in one clean line. Expect the effort to feel choppier than a 4.89% average suggests, because every short descent kills your momentum and forces you to rebuild speed on the next ramp.

How the Gradient Unfolds

A 4.89% average on a road that climbs 478 m total to gain 350 m net hides real variation. The steepest ramp touches 15%, far above the average, so the hard efforts are short but sharp. Between them sit flatter sections and brief downhills where the road gives elevation back before demanding it again.

• Flatter and recovery sections where the road eases or tips slightly downhill
• Repeated short climbs that break the ascent into stacked efforts rather than one continuous grind
• A steepest ramp at 15% that demands your lowest gears and a brief hard push

Pacing Notes

On a climb this undulating, even-effort pacing beats even-speed pacing. Chasing a constant speed forces you to spike your power on every steep pitch and coast on the flats, which burns matches you will want later. Instead, hold a steady effort anchored to your sustainable power output and let your speed rise and fall with the terrain. Push a touch harder on the 15% ramp only if it is short enough to absorb, then ease as the road flattens. If you do not know your numbers yet, run the FTP estimator before the ride so your target effort is grounded in real data rather than feel.

Gearing

The 15% maximum gradient governs your gearing choice here. Even though the average is modest, one steep ramp can force you out of the saddle and over your limit if you are geared too tall. Fit a compact or sub-compact chainset paired with a wide-range cassette — a 34×32 or 34×34 gives you a bailout for the steepest pitch without wrecking your cadence. Check your setup before the ride; discovering you are over-geared on a 15% wall is a mistake you only make once.

Summary

• Length: 7.2 km
• Average gradient: 4.89%
• Maximum gradient: 15%
• Net elevation gain: 350 m
• Total ascent: 478 m
• Category: 3

Collsacreu rewards riders who pace by effort and gear for the steep ramp rather than the average. Respect the 128 m of hidden climbing, keep your rhythm through the undulations, and the summit at 350 m arrives well within reach.