Puerto de la Cabra

Overview

Puerto de la Cabra is a category-1 climb that asks for genuine respect. Over 12.2 km it lifts you from a valley floor at 83 m to a summit of 844 m, a net gain of 761 m at an average gradient of 6.23%. That average sits in the sweet, punishing zone where nothing is steep enough to force you off the bike, yet nothing lets you truly recover either. Add the recorded total ascent of 732 m and the picture is clear: this is a sustained effort, not a series of short walls, and it rewards riders who can hold a steady rhythm for the better part of an hour.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The headline number to sit with is that 6.23% average, but averages hide the story. With a maximum pitch of 10.99%, Puerto de la Cabra pairs long stretches near its mean with ramps that nearly double it. Practically, that means you can bank a comfortable tempo through the shallower sections, then meet slopes approaching 10.99% that spike your heart rate and drain the legs. Because the net gain (761 m) is a touch higher than the measured total ascent (732 m), there are no meaningful descents to break the climb up — the road simply keeps tilting upward the whole 12.2 km. Expect the effort to feel relentless rather than explosive: the difficulty accumulates, kilometre after kilometre, all the way to 844 m.

Pacing Notes

The smart approach here is discipline. On a climb this long, going out too hard on the first ramps toward 10.99% will cost you dearly before the summit. Anchor your effort to your FTP and aim to spend the climb at a sustainable percentage of it, leaving a small reserve for the steepest pitches. If you do not know your current threshold, run the numbers through the FTP estimator before you tackle it, then translate that into a target power band you can hold for the full 12.2 km. Treat the average 6.23% as your baseline gear and rhythm, and treat every ramp above it as a moment to stay seated, protect your cadence, and ride through — not attack.

Gearing

For a 12.2 km climb averaging 6.23% with pitches to 10.99%, generous gearing is your friend. A compact chainring paired with a wide-range cassette keeps your cadence alive when the road bites. A 34×32 will serve strong climbers who can grind the steep sections without wrecking their legs, but most riders will be happier — and fresher at 844 m — running a 34×34. That extra sprocket buys you a spinnable gear on the ramps near maximum gradient and lets you conserve energy across the sustained middle. When in doubt on a climb this long, choose the easier setup.

Summary

Puerto de la Cabra is a proper category-1 test: long, steady, and stubbornly uphill, with just enough steep pitches to keep you honest. Pace it by threshold, gear it generously, and let the 12.2 km come to you.

Length: 12.2 km
Average gradient: 6.23%
Max gradient: 10.99%
Start: 83 m
Summit: 844 m
Net gain: 761 m
Total ascent: 732 m
Category: 1