Elorrietako lepoa

Overview

Elorrietako lepoa is a category 1 climb that packs serious punishment into a compact 6.9 km. The road rises from 187 m at the base to 828 m at the summit, a net gain of 641 m, and it does so at an average gradient of 9.27%. That number alone tells you most of what you need to know: this is not a climb that rewards conversation or coasting. Nearly the entire ascent sits in the range that forces you onto the pedals continuously, with a maximum pitch of 16.62% waiting to break any rhythm you think you have found.

The gap between the net elevation gain of 641 m and the total ascent of 597 m hints at the terrain: a couple of short flatter or false-flat breaks interrupt the climbing, but they are the exception, not the rule.

How the Gradient Unfolds

At 9.27% average over 6.9 km, there is very little relief. Do the arithmetic and the climb asks you to gain 641 m of altitude across less than 7 km of road. The 16.62% maximum is the moment that defines the effort — a ramp steep enough that even strong climbers will feel their cadence collapse and their front wheel wander.

Because the total ascent (597 m) sits below the net gain (641 m), the profile is relentlessly upward with only minor easing. There is no long recovery plateau to bank on. Treat every slightly shallower section as a chance to breathe and reset your line, then brace for the gradient to climb back toward and past 10%.

Pacing Notes

On a climb this steep and this short, discipline in the first two kilometres decides everything. The temptation is to attack the lower slopes while the legs feel fresh, but a 9.27% average sustained for the full 6.9 km will find anyone who overcooked the start.

Anchor your effort to your sustainable power. Riders should climb here just under or around their FTP, accepting brief spikes above it on the 16.62% ramp but never lingering there. If you are unsure of your threshold, run the numbers through the FTP estimator before you commit to a target — pacing off a guess on a wall this steep is how good days unravel.

Meter the effort so that the last kilometre toward the 828 m summit is the one where you can finally lift the pace rather than merely survive.

Gearing

Gearing is not optional insurance here — it is the difference between climbing and grinding to a halt. With an average of 9.27% and pitches to 16.62%, most riders will want the widest range they can fit.

A compact chainset paired with a wide cassette is the sensible baseline. A 34×32 will get many trained climbers up, but on the steepest ramps it leaves little margin. If you have any doubt about your climbing power, or you are carrying fatigue, opt for a 34×34 (or wider) to keep your cadence high and your knees intact. Spinning a smaller gear on a 16.62% pitch is far cheaper than muscling a big one.

Summary

Elorrietako lepoa is a short, severe category 1 test: 6.9 km that never really lets up, averaging 9.27% and spiking to 16.62% as it climbs 641 m from base to summit. Pace it off your threshold, gear it low, and respect the wall.

Length: 6.9 km
Average gradient: 9.27%
Max gradient: 16.62%
Start: 187 m
Summit: 828 m
Net gain: 641 m
Total ascent: 597 m
Category: 1