Puerto de las Palomas

Overview

Puerto de las Palomas is a category 1 climb in Spain (ES), running 11.2 km from a start elevation of 348 m to a summit at 1137 m. The net elevation gain across those kilometres is 789 m, placing it firmly in the tier of climbs long and steep enough to reward a considered approach rather than a hard start. At an average gradient of 7.04%, it sits comfortably in category 1 territory: sustained, but not relentlessly one-note.

The number that changes how you ride it is total ascent. The road climbs 1351 m in total against a net gain of only 789 m, meaning roughly 562 m of that ascent is "given back" through descents and dips along the way. That gap is the signature of an undulating profile. Every metre you descend is a metre you re-climb, so the effort is punchier and more variable than the clean 7.04% average suggests. Plan for repeated changes in rhythm, not a single steady grind.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The 7.04% average is a blend, and blends hide the extremes. With 562 m of undulation baked in, stretches well below average are offset by ramps well above it — including a maximum pitch of 27.66%. Treat the average as bookkeeping, not a prediction of what your legs will feel at any given moment.

• Flatter and false-flat sections, plus short descents, that let you recover but also break your cadence
• Repeated short climbs stacked back to back, each demanding a fresh surge of effort
• At least one very steep ramp touching 27.66% — the pitch that dictates your gearing

Pacing Notes

On an undulating climb like this, even-speed pacing is a trap: holding a constant speed means spiking your power on every steep ramp and coasting the descents, burning matches you cannot replace. Aim instead for even effort. Anchor your climb to a sustainable power output you can hold for the full 11.2 km, let your speed rise on the shallow sections, and accept that it will drop on the 27.66% pitch.

If you do not know your ceiling, run the FTP estimator before you go and set a target you can defend from bottom to summit — especially given the 789 m of net climbing on top of everything you re-climb.

Gearing

The steepest gradient governs your gearing, and 27.66% is steep enough to demand real range. Fit a compact or sub-compact chainset paired with a wide-range cassette — think 34×32 or 34×34 — so you have a bailout gear that keeps your cadence up when the road kicks. On a ramp this severe, spinning a low gear beats grinding a big one every time. Check your setup before the ride; discovering you are over-geared halfway up a 27.66% pitch is not the place to find out.

Summary

• Length: 11.2 km
• Average gradient: 7.04%
• Maximum gradient: 27.66%
• Net elevation gain: 789 m
• Total ascent: 1351 m
• Category: 1

Puerto de las Palomas is a category 1 climb that punches above its average. The 789 m net gain tells you the size of the day, but the 1351 m of total ascent tells you the shape of it: ride even effort, gear for the 27.66% ramp, and let the undulation work for you rather than against you.