Puerto Blanquillo

Overview

Puerto Blanquillo is a category 2 climb that runs for 10.3 km and asks a steady, honest effort from anyone who points their front wheel up it. From a start elevation of 114 m to a summit of 688 m, it delivers 574 m of net elevation gain at an average gradient of 5.56%. That average sits in the sweet spot where a climb is long enough to matter but never so brutal that it becomes a survival exercise — right up until the road decides to test you with a 15.53% ramp. This is a climb of rhythm, punctuated by one moment where rhythm goes out the window.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The headline numbers tell a clear story: 10.3 km, 5.56% on average, and a spike to 15.53%. Because the mean gradient is comfortably under 6% while the maximum more than doubles it, you know the climb is not uniform. Long stretches near or slightly below the average buy back the time you lose on the steep pitch. Expect the road to breathe — sections where you can settle into a cadence, then a sharp kick that clears 15% and forces you out of the saddle before easing again. With a net gain of 574 m against a total ascent of 553 m, there is almost no false-flat or descent along the way; nearly every metre climbed is a metre kept. This is a climb that goes up and stays up.

Pacing Notes

The trap on a climb like this is torching yourself on the 15.53% ramp and then bleeding time across the remaining kilometres. Anchor your effort to your sustainable power. Riding just under your FTP on the 5.56% sections leaves headroom to surge over the steep pitch without blowing apart. If you do not know your threshold, run the numbers through the FTP estimator before you commit to a target. At 10.3 km, this is a 25-to-45-minute effort for most riders, long enough that a disciplined negative split beats an early heroics. Meter the first two-thirds, then let the summit at 688 m come to you.

Gearing

With a maximum gradient of 15.53% lurking mid-climb, gear conservatively. A compact 34-tooth chainring paired with a 34×32 setup handles the 5.56% average with ease and gives you a bailout for the steep ramp. If you spin a high cadence, carry weight, or simply want insurance, a 34×34 drops the ratio further and keeps your knees and heart rate honest when the road bites. Over 574 m of climbing, the wrong gear compounds; the right one lets you save your matches for where they count.

Summary

Puerto Blanquillo rewards patience and punishes ego. Respect the 15.53% pitch, ride the 5.56% average with discipline, and the 688 m summit is yours.

Length: 10.3 km
Average gradient: 5.56%
Max gradient: 15.53%
Start: 114 m
Summit: 688 m
Net gain: 574 m
Total ascent: 553 m
Category: 2