Puerto de la Perra

Overview

Puerto de la Perra is a hors catégorie (HC) climb that earns its rating through sheer relentlessness. Over 16.6 km it averages 8.4%, lifting you from a start elevation of 157 m to a summit at 1551 m. That works out to 1394 m of net elevation gain, with 1375 m of total ascent recorded on the way up — numbers that place this among the most demanding sustained efforts a road cyclist can attempt. There is no long false-flat approach to hide behind here: the average gradient tells you the road tilts up and stays there, and the 26.5% max gradient warns that the steepest pitches are genuinely severe.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The defining feature of Puerto de la Perra is consistency of difficulty. An 8.4% average across 16.6 km means that even the "easier" stretches sit well into climbing territory, and the gap between the 8.4% average and the 26.5% maximum signals sharp spikes layered on top of an already steep base. On a climb like this, the danger is arithmetic: sixteen-plus kilometres of grinding, punctuated by ramps that can more than triple the average, drains the legs long before the summit. Expect the hardest ramps to arrive as short, brutal kicks rather than a single sustained wall — pitches you have to absorb without letting your effort spike into the red. The 1394 m of net gain is delivered steadily, so there is nowhere to truly recover.

Pacing Notes

Discipline wins this climb. Because the gradient rarely relents, going out too hard in the first few kilometres is the classic mistake — you will pay for it across the remaining distance. Anchor your effort to your FTP and hold a wattage you can genuinely sustain for the better part of an hour, treating the 26.5% ramps as brief over-efforts rather than moments to attack. If you are unsure of your threshold, run the numbers through the FTP estimator before you commit to a target, then ride the steady sections a touch below that ceiling so you have headroom for the spikes. On a 16.6 km climb, an even pace almost always beats a fast start.

Gearing

Do not under-gear this one. With an 8.4% average sustained over 16.6 km and pitches reaching 26.5%, you want a wide cassette and a compact crank. A 34×32 is a sensible floor for strong climbers, but for most riders — and for anyone hoping to spin rather than grind the steepest ramps — a 34×34 gives you the extra range to keep cadence up when the road hits its worst. The lower gear is not a luxury on a climb with this much total ascent; it is what lets you protect your legs across 1394 m of gain instead of blowing up on a single 26.5% wall.

Summary

Puerto de la Perra is an HC climb that rewards patience and punishes bravado: long, steep, and unforgiving from bottom to top. Gear low, pace to your threshold, and respect the 26.5% ramps.

Length: 16.6 km
Average gradient: 8.4%
Max gradient: 26.5%
Start: 157 m
Summit: 1551 m
Net gain: 1394 m
Total ascent: 1375 m
Category: HC