Encumeada

Overview

Encumeada is a category HC climb in Portugal, one of the hardest ratings a road ascent can carry. It runs 8.3km from a start elevation of 43m to a summit of 987m, giving a net elevation gain of 944m. That works out to an average gradient of 11.32%, a figure that on its own tells you this is a sustained, upper-tier effort rather than a rolling drag.

The net gain of 944m does not tell the whole story. The total ascent over the climb is 1099m, which means roughly 155m of the road actually goes back downhill before climbing again. That undulation matters: every metre you give back has to be reclaimed, so the legs pay for terrain the net figure quietly hides. Expect the effort to feel harder than a clean 944m at 11.32% would suggest.

How the Gradient Unfolds

An 11.32% average is already severe, but averages flatten the picture. On Encumeada the road undulates, so some pitches sit well above the mean while short recovery sections drag the number back down. The 155m of extra ascent over the net gain confirms the climb is not a single smooth wall.

• Short flatter or downhill sections that offer brief recovery but force you to reclaim lost height
• Repeated stacked ramps that keep the average pinned above 11%
• Steeper individual pitches that spike well beyond the average and reward staying seated and patient

Pacing Notes

On an undulating climb, chasing an even speed is a trap. Holding a constant km/h means burning matches on every ramp and coasting on the dips, which wrecks you before the summit. Instead pace to an even effort, letting speed rise on the shallower sections and fall on the steep ones. Anchor that effort to your sustainable power output and hold just under it, so the repeated ramps do not push you into the red. If you do not know your number, run the FTP estimator before you go, then ride the whole 8.3km at a target you can defend on the steepest pitches, not the flattest.

Gearing

Gearing here is governed by the steepest ramps, not the average. At these gradients, standard road gearing will leave you grinding and cramping. Fit a compact or sub-compact chainset paired with a wide-range cassette, something in the region of 34x32 or 34x34, so you keep a spinnable cadence when the road kicks up. Check your setup before the ride, not at the base. Confirm the cassette clears the chainstay and that the derailleur handles the largest sprocket, because there is no good place to discover a gearing problem on an HC climb.

Summary

• Length: 8.3km
• Average gradient: 11.32%
• Net elevation gain: 944m
• Total ascent: 1099m
• Category: HC

Encumeada is a proper HC test: short at 8.3km, but relentless at 11.32% with undulation that adds 155m of climbing on top of the net gain. Pace to effort, gear low, and respect the ramps.