Puerto Blanco

Overview

Puerto Blanco is a category 2 climb that packs a serious punch into a compact 6.3 km. From a start elevation of 204 m it climbs steadily to a summit of 674 m, delivering 470 m of net elevation gain with 449 m of total ascent. The near-identical net and total figures tell you something important: this is an honest, one-directional climb with almost no false flats or descents to break it up. Once you turn onto the lower slopes, the road simply keeps going up.

At a 7.48% average gradient sustained across the full 6.3 km, Puerto Blanco sits firmly in the range where a climb stops being merely long and starts being genuinely demanding. There is nowhere to hide.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The defining number here is the gap between the 7.48% average and the 11.86% maximum. That spread of roughly 4.4 percentage points means the climb is not uniform: expect stretches noticeably steeper than the average, likely concentrated in the middle and upper sections where the max gradient bites hardest.

Because total ascent (449 m) is only 21 m shy of the net gain (470 m), you can trust that the road climbs almost continuously. The steepest pitches near 11.86% will feel abrupt precisely because there is little respite around them to soften the transition. Ride the gentler stretches near 7% as your recovery, and treat every ramp toward double digits as a deliberate, controlled effort rather than a surprise.

Pacing Notes

A 6.3 km climb at 7.48% is an effort you should meter carefully rather than attack. For most riders this sits at or just above threshold, so knowing your FTP is the single most useful piece of information you can bring to the base. If you are not sure of your number, run it through the FTP estimator before you plan your ride.

Aim to hold a steady power just under threshold on the 7.48% sections and accept short surges above it on the pitches toward 11.86%. The danger on a climb this consistent is going out too hard in the first kilometre when the legs feel fresh; with 470 m still to gain above you, an early overreach will cost you dearly in the final third. Settle into a rhythm early and protect it.

Gearing

For a 6.3 km climb averaging 7.48% with ramps to 11.86%, gearing that keeps your cadence up is worth more than raw strength. A compact chainring paired with a wide-range cassette is the sensible choice. A 34×32 will get most fit riders over the top, but on the steepest pitches near 11.86% you may find yourself grinding. If you have any doubt about your climbing legs, or you want to ride within yourself, opt for 34×34 to preserve a spinnable cadence when the gradient spikes. The lighter gear costs you nothing on the shallower sections and rewards you handsomely where it hurts.

Summary

Puerto Blanco is a short, steep, honest category 2 test: consistently steep, barely interrupted, and unforgiving of a poor start. Pace it to your threshold, gear it to spin, and it rewards a disciplined ride.

Length: 6.3 km
Average gradient: 7.48%
Max gradient: 11.86%
Start: 204 m
Summit: 674 m
Net gain: 470 m
Total ascent: 449 m
Category: 2