Peña Águila

Overview

Peña Águila is a 5 km category-3 climb that lifts you from a start elevation of 524 m to a summit of 762 m. That works out to a net elevation gain of 238 m and an average gradient of 4.79% — squarely in the range where a climb is long enough to matter but rarely steep enough to bury you. The measured total ascent of 215 m tells you the road isn't a single ramp: some of the vertical gain arrives, then eases, before the grade collects itself again. With a max gradient of 9.64%, there is at least one section that demands respect, but the bulk of the effort is about rhythm rather than survival.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The gap between the 4.79% average and the 9.64% maximum is the key to reading this climb. Nearly double the mean, that steepest pitch means the gradient is uneven — expect stretches noticeably shallower than 4.79% offset by short ramps that spike toward the top of the range. The difference between the 238 m net gain and the 215 m total ascent also hints that the road gives a little back somewhere, with a brief flatter or descending section that interrupts the climbing. Practically, that means you can't simply lock into one gear and grind. The smart approach is to expect the effort to pulse: settle in on the easier grades, then absorb the sharp kicks without panicking, knowing they're the exception and not the rule across the full 5 km.

Pacing Notes

Because the average sits at 4.79% over 5 km, Peña Águila is a threshold-style effort for most riders — long enough to reward steady power but forgiving enough that overcooking the bottom is the classic mistake. Anchor your pacing to your FTP and hold a controlled tempo on the shallower ramps, keeping a little in reserve for the pitches climbing toward 9.64%. If you don't have a reliable threshold figure yet, run the numbers through the FTP estimator before you ride, then translate that into a target you can sustain for the whole 5 km rather than a number you can only hold for a minute. On the steepest kick, let cadence drop briefly and let power surge slightly, then recover on the easier grade that follows.

Gearing

At 4.79% average this isn't a climb that forces exotic gearing, but the 9.64% max is enough to make a compact setup pay off. A 34×32 will handle the sustained sections comfortably and gives you a low enough ratio to keep spinning on the harder ramps. If you tire late in a ride, run out of legs on repeated efforts, or simply prefer to protect your knees, step down to a 34×34 — that extra sprocket keeps your cadence up over the top pitches so you climb the 238 m without ever having to stand and muscle through.

Summary

Peña Águila is an honest, rhythm-driven category-3 climb: 5 km of mostly moderate grade with a genuine sting near the top. Pace it to your threshold, choose a gear that lets you spin the 9.64% sections, and it rewards steady effort over heroics.

Length: 5 km
Average gradient: 4.79%
Max gradient: 9.64%
Start: 524 m
Summit: 762 m
Net gain: 238 m
Total ascent: 215 m
Category: 3