Puerto de Las Muñecas

Overview

Puerto de Las Muñecas is a 7.2 km category 3 climb that starts low, at just 24 m, and tops out at 371 m. That gives it a net gain of 347 m and an average gradient of 4.81% — squarely in the range where a climb is long enough to matter but shallow enough to keep you honest about pacing. The total ascent logged over the road is 320 m, a touch below the net figure, which tells you the profile trends steadily upward with little in the way of descending relief. On paper this is a rhythm climb, but a 13.82% maximum gradient means there is at least one section that will break any rhythm you thought you had.

How the Gradient Unfolds

Do not let the 4.81% average lull you. An average is a blend, and here it blends long stretches of moderate grade with a spike touching 13.82% — nearly three times the mean. Because the total ascent (320 m) sits just below the net gain (347 m), the road climbs almost the whole way, so the steep pitches are added on top of relentless upward drag rather than balanced by recovery flats. Expect the opening kilometres to sit comfortably around or below the average, banking speed, before the gradient stiffens. That near-14% ramp is where the climb earns its category 3 badge: short enough to survive out of the saddle, sharp enough to spike your heart rate well past threshold if you hit it carrying too much speed and too little patience.

Pacing Notes

Over 7.2 km at 4.81%, the smart play is to treat the climb as a threshold effort with a reserve held back specifically for the 13.82% section. Anchor your pacing to your FTP: aim to ride the shallower opening at or just under threshold, then allow yourself to punch above it briefly on the steep ramp before settling back. If you do not know your threshold number, run your figures through the FTP estimator first — every pacing decision on a climb like this hangs off it. The danger here is going out too hard on the friendly early grade and arriving at the steep pitch already redlined, because on a 347 m net gain there is no long summit plateau to hide a recovery.

Gearing

For a climb averaging 4.81% but spiking to 13.82%, gearing choice is really about surviving the steep bit without cross-chaining your cadence into the ground. A compact 34-tooth inner ring is the sensible foundation. Pair it with at least a 34×32 for most riders, which keeps your legs turning through the ramp rather than grinding. If you are carrying fatigue, riding heavier, or simply prefer to spin, step up to 34×34 — the extra range costs you nothing on the moderate sections and buys real comfort when the road tilts toward 13.82%. Under-gearing is the classic mistake on a climb whose max is nearly triple its average.

Summary

Puerto de Las Muñecas rewards riders who respect the gap between its 4.81% average and its 13.82% maximum. Pace the opening near threshold, save something for the ramp, gear low enough to keep spinning, and this category 3 climb becomes a satisfying tempo effort rather than a survival grind.

Length: 7.2 km
Average gradient: 4.81%
Max gradient: 13.82%
Start: 24 m
Summit: 371 m
Net gain: 347 m
Total ascent: 320 m
Category: 3