Kitanglad

Overview

Kitanglad is short on paper and savage in the legs. Over just 2.9 km it climbs from a start elevation of 1169 m to a summit at 1444 m, a net gain of 275 m packed into well under three kilometres. That works out to an average gradient of 9.6%, the kind of sustained steepness that never lets you settle into a rhythm. It is rated category 2, and while that sits below the marquee HC and category 1 monsters, the numbers here punch well above the label. This is a climb defined by relentless verticality rather than length.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The defining feature of Kitanglad is how little the road relents. With an average of 9.6% and a maximum of 11.47%, the spread between typical and hardest is remarkably narrow. There are no false flats to hide behind and no long shallow ramps to recover on. Instead the gradient hovers close to double digits from bottom to top, spiking to that 11.47% pitch where the road bites hardest.

Two ascent figures describe the profile: a net elevation gain of 275 m between start and summit, and a total ascent of 267 m accumulated along the way. The near-identical numbers confirm what the gradient already suggests, this is an almost purely uphill effort with virtually no descending or flat interruptions. Everything you climb, you keep.

Pacing Notes

On a climb this steep and this short, the temptation is to attack from the base and hope. Resist it. At 9.6% average your power has nowhere to go but into gravity, and going into the red early on a wall like this can cost you the entire top half. A smarter approach is to ride the lower slopes just under your FTP, then let the effort drift up as the summit at 1444 m comes into view.

If you are unsure of your threshold, run the numbers first with the FTP estimator so your target watts match the demand of the gradient. Because the climb is only 2.9 km, you can afford to finish deep in the red, just make sure you are still accelerating at the top rather than surviving.

Gearing

Do not under-gear this one. A 9.6% average with an 11.47% max on a category 2 climb rewards spinning over grinding, especially since the altitude near 1444 m thins the air. A compact 34-tooth chainring paired with a 34×32 low gear is the sensible baseline for most riders wanting to keep cadence honest. If you carry any fatigue or extra weight, step down to a 34×34 and give yourself the margin, on pitches this steep an easier gear is never a weakness. Both 34×32 and 34×34 keep your knees intact and your rhythm alive where the road tips toward its steepest.

Summary

Kitanglad is a compact, uncompromising category 2 effort, short enough to memorise yet steep enough to hurt every metre of the way. Gear low, pace the base, and empty the tank into the final ramps.

Length: 2.9 km
Average gradient: 9.6%
Max gradient: 11.47%
Start: 1169 m
Summit: 1444 m
Net gain: 275 m
Total ascent: 267 m
Category: 2