Cuchumatanes

Overview

Cuchumatanes is a long, high-altitude category 1 climb that starts at 2190 m and tops out at 3383 m. Across its 18.4 km you gain 1193 m of net elevation, and because the road isn't a perfectly smooth ramp, the total ascent adds up to 1380 m. That extra 187 m over the net figure tells you something important before you even turn a pedal: this climb has dips and false flats woven through it, and you'll pay to climb back out of every one.

The headline number is an average gradient of 6.48% — steady enough to be relentless, gentle enough that it never fully lets you settle. What sharpens the challenge is the max gradient of 22.23%, a wall roughly three and a half times the average. On paper 6.48% reads as manageable; in the legs, a climb that starts above 2190 m and finishes at 3383 m is anything but.

How the Gradient Unfolds

Think of Cuchumatanes as a rolling ascent rather than a single sustained pitch. The 187 m gap between the 1193 m net gain and the 1380 m total ascent is proof that the profile gives back elevation in places — short descents or flat sections that break the rhythm. Every metre you coast down is a metre you climb again.

The 6.48% average is a blended figure. Somewhere on this climb the road ramps to 22.23%, and pitches that steep are almost never long, which means large stretches must sit well below 6.48% to keep the average honest. Expect a climb of contrasts: cruising gradients punctuated by sharp kicks. The safe assumption is that the steepest ramp arrives when you least want it — plan for a spike, not a smooth line.

Pacing Notes

Over 18.4 km, discipline beats bravado. Pick an effort you can hold to the 3383 m summit and defend it on the shallow sections rather than surging. Anchor your pacing to your FTP: on a climb this long, riding just above threshold early will cost you badly in the thin air near the top.

If you don't know your threshold, estimate it with the FTP estimator before you commit to a target. When the road tilts toward 22.23%, let cadence drop and power spike briefly — then settle straight back to your steady number. Save something for the final metres; finishing at 3383 m means the altitude, not the gradient, often has the last word.

Gearing

At 18.4 km averaging 6.48% with ramps to 22.23% and a summit at 3383 m, favour easy gearing over pride. A compact 34-tooth chainring paired with a 34×32 cassette is a sensible baseline for the sustained work. For the 22.23% wall — and for the altitude near 3383 m — a 34×34 gives you a genuine bailout to keep the cranks turning. Choose 34×34 if you're carrying fatigue or riding conservatively; it's cheap insurance on a climb this long.

Summary

Cuchumatanes is a rolling category 1 test: 18.4 km, 6.48% average, and 1193 m of net gain to a lofty 3383 m finish, with a 22.23% sting to keep you honest. Pace it by threshold, gear for the walls, and respect the altitude.

Length: 18.4 km
Average gradient: 6.48%
Max gradient: 22.23%
Start: 2190 m
Summit: 3383 m
Net gain: 1193 m
Total ascent: 1380 m
Category: 1