Degollada de Ucanca

Overview

Degollada de Ucanca is one of the true giants: 33.1 km of continuous climbing that starts at just 22 m — barely above the sea — and drags you all the way up to a summit of 2406 m. That is a net elevation gain of 2384 m in a single effort, with 2362 m of total ascent packed into the ride. The average gradient of 7.19% sounds civilised on paper, but sustained over this distance it is anything but. Rated HC (hors catégorie), it sits in the hardest bracket the classification system offers, above categories 1, 2, 3 and 4. This is a climb you plan your whole day around.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The headline number is the 7.19% average, but averages hide the story. Over 33.1 km the road never truly lets up, and the spikes are what will hurt: the max gradient touches 20.27%, nearly three times the average. Expect long stretches sitting close to the mean, punctuated by sharper ramps that force you out of rhythm. Because the climb begins at 22 m and finishes at 2406 m, you also cross a huge span of altitude — the air thins noticeably in the final third, and the same power that felt manageable low down costs you more near the top. Treat the gradient profile as a series of surges within one enormous, unbroken effort rather than a steady drag.

Pacing Notes

On a climb of 33.1 km, discipline beats bravado. Your FTP is the single most useful reference point here: settle into a sustainable percentage of it early and resist the urge to chase the steeper ramps. Riders who blow past threshold on the 20.27% pitches almost always pay for it before the summit. If you do not know your number, run the FTP estimator before you go and build a target band around it. Ration your matches for the short spikes, ease back the moment a ramp relents, and remember that with 2384 m still to gain from the bottom, the climb rewards patience far more than early aggression. Fuel and drink steadily — an effort this long is as much a nutrition problem as a power problem.

Gearing

Do not under-gear this one. With a 7.19% average stretched across 33.1 km and pitches hitting 20.27%, you want spinning range in reserve. A compact 34-tooth inner paired with a wide cassette is the sensible baseline. A 34×32 will get most fit riders up the steady sections, but on the steepest ramps — especially late, at altitude, with 2384 m already in the legs — a 34×34 gives you the extra bailout to keep cadence up and avoid grinding to a stall. If your frame and derailleur allow, err toward the easier setup; on an HC climb this size, nobody regrets one more sprocket.

Summary

Degollada de Ucanca is a full HC test of endurance and pacing: a sea-level-to-alpine haul that gains 2384 m over 33.1 km. Come with easy gears, a clear power target, and a plan to ride within yourself.

Length: 33.1 km
Average gradient: 7.19%
Max gradient: 20.27%
Start: 22 m
Summit: 2406 m
Net gain: 2384 m
Total ascent: 2362 m
Category: HC