Puerto de las Crucetillas

Overview

Puerto de las Crucetillas is a Category 1 climb that packs a serious punch into a compact 8.2 km. From a start elevation of 632 m it rises to a summit of 1361 m, a net elevation gain of 729 m, with 688 m of total ascent logged along the way. The headline number is the average gradient: 8.91% held over the full 8.2 km, which is steep enough that there is nowhere to truly recover. Add a maximum pitch of 22.53% and you have a climb that rewards restraint early and punishes anyone who goes out too hard.

How the Gradient Unfolds

Think of Crucetillas as a relentless staircase rather than a smooth ramp. An average of 8.91% across 8.2 km means the "easy" sections here would be hard climbs elsewhere. The defining feature is the 22.53% spike — roughly two and a half times the average — which tells you the road is not evenly graded. Where the ramp bites hardest, your speed will drop sharply and your power will spike, so the smart move is to read the road ahead and pick your line before the gradient jumps. With 688 m of ascent stacked into so little distance, the climb never gives you a genuine flat to shake out your legs. Treat every softer stretch as a chance to breathe, not to attack.

Pacing Notes

The single biggest mistake on a climb this steep is starting above your sustainable ceiling. Anchor your effort to your FTP and aim to sit just below it for the shallower sections, accepting that the 22.53% ramps will force you well over threshold for short bursts — that is unavoidable and fine, provided the surrounding effort is controlled. Over 8.2 km at 8.91%, most riders will be climbing for a sustained block of time, so pacing by feel alone is risky. If you are not sure where your threshold sits, run the numbers through the FTP estimator first and set a realistic target before you hit the lower slopes. Save a little in reserve for the steepest pitch; there is no draft and no coasting on a wall like this.

Gearing

Do not under-gear this one. With an 8.91% average and a 22.53% maximum, a compact chainset paired with a wide-range cassette is the sensible baseline. A 34×32 is the minimum most fit amateurs should consider, and it will feel marginal on the steepest ramps. If your legs or fitness leave any doubt, go straight to a 34×34 — the extra sprocket keeps your cadence out of the grinding zone on that 22.53% pitch and protects your knees over the sustained 729 m of climbing. Spinning a slightly easier gear and staying seated where the road allows will almost always beat muscling a bigger gear up a climb this steep.

Summary

Puerto de las Crucetillas is short but uncompromising: 8.2 km, 8.91% average, and a 22.53% sting that defines the whole effort. Pace it below threshold, gear low, and respect the 729 m of vertical it demands. Earn the summit and you have conquered a proper Category 1 test.

Length: 8.2 km
Average gradient: 8.91%
Max gradient: 22.53%
Start: 632 m
Summit: 1361 m
Net gain: 729 m
Total ascent: 688 m
Category: 1