Portillo de Manzanedo

Overview

Portillo de Manzanedo is a 6 km category 3 climb that starts at 664 m and finishes at 1008 m. Over those 6 kilometres the road gains 344 m of net elevation at an average gradient of 5.74%, with a total ascent of 324 m once the minor undulations are counted. That gap between net gain and total ascent tells you something useful before you even turn the pedals: the climb is not a single uninterrupted ramp. A few short lulls give a fraction of the height back, which means the working sections carry slightly more than the 5.74% headline figure to make up the difference.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The defining numbers here are the 5.74% average and the 8.1% maximum. That is a relatively tight spread. There is no wall waiting to ambush you, but there is also very little true respite — the steepest pitch is only a couple of points above the mean, so the climb spends most of its length hovering somewhere in the mid single digits. Expect a rhythm-based ascent rather than a series of dramatic accelerations. The small shortfall between the 344 m net gain and the 324 m total ascent points to one or two flatter-or-falling moments where the slope eases; treat those as places to recover cadence, not to stop working. Everywhere else you are climbing, steadily, toward the 1008 m summit.

Pacing Notes

At 6 km, Portillo de Manzanedo is short enough to ride firmly but long enough that overcooking the opening kilometre will cost you. Anchor your effort to your FTP: a category 3 climb of this length is best ridden at or just below threshold, holding a repeatable power rather than surging. Because the 8.1% max sits close to the 5.74% average, you can meter your effort almost linearly — lift slightly for the steeper ramps, settle back on the brief eases, and avoid the temptation to sprint the flatter section. If you do not yet know your threshold number, run your recent data through the FTP estimator first so your target on the 344 m of climbing is grounded in something real. Aim to arrive at 1008 m with a little left, not gasping over the last few hundred metres.

Gearing

For a 6 km climb averaging 5.74% and peaking at 8.1%, a compact 34-tooth inner chainring paired with a wide-range cassette is the sensible default. A 34×32 low gear is enough for most trained riders to spin the steeper 8.1% pitches without grinding, keeping cadence high across the sustained middle of the climb. If you are carrying fatigue, riding at altitude near the 1008 m summit, or simply prefer to protect your knees, drop to a 34×34 for extra margin. Neither ratio is overkill on a climb of this gradient — the goal is to keep your legs turning, not to muscle a big gear up 344 m.

Summary

Portillo de Manzanedo rewards steady, threshold-anchored pacing and a compact gear. It is a consistent, honest category 3 effort — 6 km of climbing that never quite lets up but never truly bites either.

Length: 6 km
Average gradient: 5.74%
Max gradient: 8.1%
Start: 664 m
Summit: 1008 m
Net gain: 344 m
Total ascent: 324 m
Category: 3