Pla del Fideuer

Overview

Pla del Fideuer is a Category 2 climb in Spain, covering 6 km from base to summit. It starts at 72 m and tops out at 436 m, giving a net elevation gain of 364 m. That places it firmly in the sustained-effort bracket: long enough to settle into a rhythm, steep enough on average that you cannot coast through it.

Look closer, though, and the total ascent is 449 m — 85 m more than the net gain. That gap is the tell. The road does not rise cleanly; it undulates, shedding altitude in places before clawing it back. Every one of those 85 extra metres is climbing you pay for twice, and it means the effort is punchier than a simple 6.03% average would suggest. Plan for a stop-start profile rather than a smooth, steady grind.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The 6.03% average is a blend, not a constant. Undulation this pronounced means the gradient swings well above and below the mean, with false-flats and short descents diluting the steeper ramps. The headline number to respect is the 18.18% maximum — a pitch nearly three times the average that will spike your effort hard and briefly.

• Flatter and recovery sections where the road dips or eases, letting you soft-pedal and reset.
• Repeated short climbs stacked back to back, each demanding a fresh surge out of the preceding dip.
• A steepest ramp reaching 18.18%, where you shift down early and grind through rather than attacking.

Pacing Notes

On a smooth climb, even-effort and even-speed converge. Here they diverge sharply. Chase even speed and you will overcook the 18.18% ramp and the repeated pitches, burning matches you cannot recover on the descents. Instead, pace to even effort: hold your sustainable power output steady and let your speed rise and fall with the terrain. Accept going slow on the ramps and spinning easy on the dips. If you do not know your ceiling, run the FTP estimator first so you have a real number to anchor to rather than guessing on the day.

Gearing

The 18.18% maximum gradient governs your setup, not the average. That pitch will stall a road-standard chainset. Fit a compact or sub-compact chainset paired with a wide-range cassette — think 34×32 or 34×34 — so you keep a spinnable cadence when the road kicks up. The undulation matters too: you want gears low enough to restart each short climb without lurching out of the saddle. Check your chainset and cassette before the ride; the summit is a poor place to discover you are over-geared.

Summary

• Length: 6 km
• Average gradient: 6.03%
• Maximum gradient: 18.18%
• Net elevation gain: 364 m
• Total ascent: 449 m
• Category: 2

Pla del Fideuer rewards riders who read the profile, not just the average. Pace to effort, gear for the 18.18% ramp, and treat the 85 m of hidden climbing with respect.