Puerto de la Nevera

Overview

Puerto de la Nevera is a short, honest category 3 climb that packs its work into just 3.7 km. From a start elevation of 479 m it lifts you to a 730 m summit, a net elevation gain of 251 m earned at an average gradient of 6.85%. That average is not a rolling, forgiving one — it stays high throughout, and with a max gradient of 10.08% there is a real sting waiting on the steepest ramp. At under four kilometres this is a climb you can attack, but the sustained pitch means an over-eager opening will cost you before the top.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The defining feature here is consistency. With 251 m of net gain spread across 3.7 km, the road rarely lets up, and the 6.85% average is close to what your legs feel for most of the ascent. The gap between that average and the 10.08% maximum is only about 3.23%, which tells you there are no long flat reprieves to hide the hard sections — the climb is steep, and it stays steep. The total ascent of 207 m sits just below the net gain, confirming there is little in the way of descending or false-flat relief once you are climbing. Expect the gradient to bite hardest on the pitch toward 10.08% and to hold firm around its average everywhere else.

Pacing Notes

Because the climb is short and steady, pace it just above your threshold rather than saving too much for a finish that never eases. Riders who know their FTP can target a power a touch over it for the full 3.7 km, since there is no long section where the gradient drops enough to recover meaningfully. If you are not sure of your number, run the FTP estimator first, then translate that into a realistic target for a sub-four-kilometre effort. Settle into rhythm on the lower slopes, hold your line through the 10.08% ramp seated where possible, and only lift the pace in the final stretch once the summit at 730 m is in sight.

Gearing

For a 6.85% average that touches 10.08%, a compact chainring paired with a wide-range cassette is the sensible choice. A 34×32 will get most fit riders over the steepest ramp with cadence to spare, and if you value your knees on the 10.08% section — or you are carrying fatigue from earlier climbing — a 34×34 gives you that extra margin to spin rather than grind. Given the climb is only 3.7 km, there is no penalty for having a bailout gear you rarely touch; the freedom to stay seated and rhythmic through the steepest metres is worth more than saving a few grams.

Summary

Puerto de la Nevera rewards a controlled, threshold-plus effort: short enough to attack, steep enough to punish a bad pace. Set your gearing for the 10.08% ramp, hold your average, and enjoy a clean 251 m of vertical.

Length: 3.7 km
Average gradient: 6.85%
Max gradient: 10.08%
Start: 479 m
Summit: 730 m
Net gain: 251 m
Total ascent: 207 m
Category: 3