Puerto de la Bolina

Overview

Puerto de la Bolina is a long, steady category 2 ascent that rewards patience over aggression. From a start elevation of just 1 m, it climbs for 15.3 km to a summit of 770 m, delivering a net elevation gain of 769 m and a total ascent of 759 m once the small dips along the way are counted. The average gradient of 5.04% sounds friendly, and for long stretches it is — but a maximum pitch of 12.17% means the climb has teeth it can bare when you least expect it. This is a ride you settle into, not one you attack from the bottom.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The headline number here is that 5.04% average, spread across a substantial 15.3 km. On paper that reads as a tempo effort, and much of the climb does hold close to the mean. The complication is the spread between average and maximum: with pitches reaching 12.17%, the road is far from uniform. Expect the gradient to ease and steepen in waves rather than hold a constant slope. The gap between the 5.04% average and the 12.17% max — roughly seven points — tells you the flatter sections are subsidising some genuinely hard ramps. The near-total match between the 769 m net gain and 759 m total ascent confirms there is very little downhill respite: almost every metre you climb, you keep.

Pacing Notes

On a climb this length, pacing discipline matters more than raw power. The smart approach is to ride the 5.04% sections comfortably below threshold, banking energy for the 12.17% ramps rather than burning matches early. A good target is to hold a steady effort anchored to your FTP, letting the steep pitches push you briefly above it and the flatter kilometres pull you back down. Because the climb spans 15.3 km, small early overexertions compound badly by the summit at 770 m. If you are unsure what wattage you can sustain, the FTP estimator will give you a working number to pace against. Aim to arrive at the steepest sections with something in reserve — the last thing you want is to meet a 12.17% wall already redlined.

Gearing

With 769 m of climbing to absorb and pitches touching 12.17%, gearing is where most riders make life easier for themselves. A compact chainset paired with a wide-range cassette is the sensible baseline. A 34×32 will get most reasonably fit riders over the summit, but on a climb this long the marginal comfort of a 34×34 is worth having in your back pocket — especially for the 12.17% ramps late in the 15.3 km when fatigue has already set in. If you tend to grind rather than spin, size up: a lighter gear preserves your legs across the full 759 m of total ascent far better than muscling a bigger ratio.

Summary

Puerto de la Bolina is a long, honest category 2 climb: 15.3 km at 5.04% average, punctuated by ramps as steep as 12.17%, rising from near sea level to a 770 m summit. Pace it patiently, gear it generously, and let the numbers work for you.

Length: 15.3 km
Average gradient: 5.04%
Max gradient: 12.17%
Start: 1 m
Summit: 770 m
Net gain: 769 m
Total ascent: 759 m
Category: 2