Degollada de los Granadillos

Overview

Degollada de los Granadillos is a short, ferocious Category 1 climb that packs an enormous amount of vertical into very little road. Over just 4.3 km it averages 10.12%, a figure that would be punishing on any surface and leaves almost no room to recover. From a start elevation of 230 m it hauls you up to a 661 m summit, a net elevation gain of 431 m. Nothing about this ascent is casual — it is the kind of climb that decides how the rest of your ride will feel.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The defining trait here is relentlessness. A 10.12% average over 4.3 km means there is no flat, no false summit relief, no easy kilometre to bank recovery. Because the average sits above 10%, most of the climb lives in double digits, and the 20.8% maximum tells you there are ramps that spike far beyond even that brutal baseline. Expect steep pitches that force you out of rhythm, followed by sections that merely return you to the already-savage average. With 431 m of net gain compressed into 4.3 km, the road tilts upward consistently from bottom to top. Ride the steepest ramps conservatively — hitting a 20.8% section already redlined is how good days unravel.

Pacing Notes

On a climb this steep and this short, pacing is everything. The temptation is to attack the lower slopes, but with an average of 10.12% you will pay for early enthusiasm long before the 661 m summit. Anchor your effort to your sustainable power rather than the gradient in front of you. A good rule is to hold just under threshold on the average pitches so you retain headroom for the 20.8% spikes, where power naturally surges.

If you do not know your ceiling, your FTP is the number to build around — it defines the wattage you can hold for a sustained effort, and on a 4.3 km climb like this you will spend the whole ascent near it. Use the FTP estimator to get a working figure, then aim to climb at or just below it, letting the steepest ramps briefly push you over rather than starting there.

Gearing

This is not a climb to be under-geared on. With a 10.12% average and pitches reaching 20.8%, you want a wide-range cassette and low ratios so you can keep your cadence up rather than grinding to a standstill. A compact 34-tooth inner chainring paired with a 32-tooth sprocket (34×32) is the sensible minimum, and many riders will be glad of a 34×34 for the steepest ramps. If your legs or your terrain leave any doubt, go with the 34×34 — spinning a low gear costs you nothing here and saves you from the muscular blowup that a too-tall gear invites on a wall this steep.

Summary

Degollada de los Granadillos is a compact monster: 4.3 km that never relents, averaging 10.12% and spiking to 20.8% as it climbs from 230 m to 661 m. Respect the gradient, gear low, and pace to your threshold — get those right and the 431 m of gain becomes a satisfying test rather than a survival exercise.

Length: 4.3 km
Average gradient: 10.12%
Max gradient: 20.8%
Start: 230 m
Summit: 661 m
Net gain: 431 m
Total ascent: 400 m
Category: 1