Paso de la Vía

Overview

Paso de la Vía is a compact category 4 climb that trades length for intensity. Over just 1.8 km it lifts you from a start elevation of 68 m to a summit of 179 m, a net elevation gain of 111 m. On paper the 6.1% average gradient looks approachable, but the recorded total ascent of 93 m across the profile hints at a road that never truly flattens once it begins to rise. This is the kind of climb you can attack from bottom to top, but only if you respect the 8.26% maximum lurking somewhere in the middle.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The math tells the story. A 111 m net gain over 1.8 km gives that steady 6.1% average, but the 8.26% peak sits well above it — meaning there are stretches noticeably steeper than the number on the sign, balanced by shallower sections that let the average settle back down. Expect the effort to arrive in pulses rather than one long, even drag. The gap between the 6.1% average and the 8.26% max is the ramp you need to prepare for: when the road tilts toward its steepest, you lose momentum fast on a climb this short, and there is little runway to recover it before the 179 m summit.

Pacing Notes

On a climb of only 1.8 km, pacing is less about conservation and more about controlled aggression. There is no need to leave much in reserve — this is close to a threshold effort from base to top. Riders who know their FTP can pace it precisely: hold just below threshold on the shallower pitches, then accept a brief surge over the 8.26% ramp knowing the summit is minutes away. If you have not tested recently, the FTP estimator will give you a working number to anchor the effort. The biggest mistake here is starting too hard on the lower slopes and blowing before the steepest section, where the extra gradient bites hardest. Meter your first third, then commit through the middle.

Gearing

Because Paso de la Vía is short, most fit riders will get up it without exotic gearing — but the 8.26% max is where a comfortable cassette earns its keep. A 34×32 bottom gear is a sensible default and will keep your cadence spinning through the average 6.1% grade with margin to spare over the steep ramp. If you prefer to sit and spin rather than grind out of the saddle, or you are carrying fatigue from earlier climbing, a 34×34 gives you that extra cushion to protect your legs when the road hits its steepest. Either setup works; choose based on how you like to climb short, sharp walls.

Summary

Paso de la Vía rewards a bold, well-metered effort: pace the lower slopes, hold through the 8.26% pinch, and you will crest the 179 m summit having gained 111 m in under two kilometres. It is a punchy category 4 test — long enough to hurt, short enough to attack.

Length: 1.8 km
Average gradient: 6.1%
Max gradient: 8.26%
Start: 68 m
Summit: 179 m
Net gain: 111 m
Total ascent: 93 m
Category: 4