Puerto de la Calera

Overview

Puerto de la Calera is a 9.3 km category 4 climb that lifts you from a valley floor at 338 m to a summit of 634 m. That is 296 m of net gain across nearly ten kilometres, which works out to an average gradient of 3.17%. On paper this is a gentle ascent, and in practice it rewards riders who can hold a steady tempo rather than those who thrive on repeated explosive efforts. With a maximum pitch of 8.61%, the hardest ramp here is stiff but far from brutal, and it never lingers long enough to break your rhythm entirely.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The story of Calera is one of consistency punctuated by a single sharp accent. A 3.17% average over 9.3 km means long stretches sit well below that figure, often shallow enough to spin comfortably in a moderate gear. Because the total ascent of 296 m matches the net gain exactly, there are no false descents to break up the effort and rob you of momentum, so every metre of climbing counts toward the summit. The 8.61% max is the wall you plan around: expect a brief pinch where the road rears up, then a return to the more forgiving slope that defines most of the climb. Read the gradient as a long, patient drag with one moment that demands you shift down and dig in.

Pacing Notes

On a climb this long and this shallow, pacing is about discipline rather than survival. Set your effort to something you can sustain for the full 9.3 km without fading, and let the low average gradient work in your favour. A useful anchor is your FTP: riding the bulk of Calera just below threshold keeps you aerobic and leaves a reserve for the 8.61% pinch. If you do not know your number, run it through the FTP estimator before you commit to a target. Because the slope rarely forces you above threshold, the temptation is to start too hard on the easy lower grades and pay for it later. Meter your opening kilometres, absorb the steep ramp with a controlled surge, then settle back into tempo for the run to 634 m.

Gearing

For a 296 m climb averaging 3.17%, most riders will be comfortably geared with a compact setup. A 34×32 lowest ratio is plenty for the sustained shallow slopes and gives you a spinning cadence through the bulk of the climb. If you prefer to protect your legs on the 8.61% pinch, or you are carrying fatigue from a longer day, a 34×34 adds a touch more margin without any downside on terrain this forgiving. Either way, you will spend most of Calera in the middle of your cassette, saving the easiest sprockets for that one steep moment.

Summary

Puerto de la Calera is an approachable tempo climb: long, steady, and defined by one sharp ramp rather than relentless steepness. Pace it patiently, gear for the pinch, and enjoy the rhythm.

Length: 9.3 km
Average gradient: 3.17%
Max gradient: 8.61%
Start: 338 m
Summit: 634 m
Net gain: 296 m
Total ascent: 296 m
Category: 4