Puerto de Peña Aguda

Overview

Puerto de Peña Aguda is a long, patient climb rather than a wall. At 22.5 km with an average gradient of 4.93%, it sits firmly in category 1 — one rung below hors catégorie, and hard enough to demand respect. You start at 844 m and top out at 1953 m, a summit high enough that the air thins noticeably by the final kilometres. The net elevation gain is 1109 m, while the total ascent tallies 1187 m, meaning the road throws in some 78 m of extra climbing across dips and false flats that don't show up in the simple start-to-summit math.

How the Gradient Unfolds

A 4.93% average over 22.5 km tells you this is a sustained effort, not a series of savage ramps. Spread evenly, that gradient would feel like a steady drag you can settle into for the best part of an hour. The clue that it isn't perfectly even lies in the gap between net gain and total ascent: 1187 m of climbing to net just 1109 m means the profile rolls. Expect stretches that ease toward false flat where you can recover, offset by pitches that climb harder than the average to make up the difference. Read the road, not the number on your screen — the average hides both the breathers and the bites.

Pacing Notes

For a climb this long, the winning strategy is discipline. Anchor your effort to your FTP and hold something in reserve, especially through the first third — the summit at 1953 m is a long way off, and altitude will quietly sharpen every pedal stroke near the top. Aim to ride the sustained sections just below threshold so the steeper pitches don't tip you into the red. If you don't know your threshold power, plug recent numbers into the FTP estimator before you commit to a target. A climb of 22.5 km punishes riders who go out too hard far more than it rewards early bravado.

Gearing

At 4.93% average this is not, in isolation, a fearsome gradient — but 22.5 km of it, finishing above 1900 m, changes the calculation. Fatigue and thinning air make the same slope feel steeper the longer you climb. A compact 34-tooth inner ring paired with a 34×32 low gear gives most riders enough range to spin the sustained sections without grinding. If you're carrying tired legs, riding at weight, or simply prefer a higher cadence, step up to a 34×34 — that extra sprocket buys precious relief on the pitches where the road climbs harder than the average and preserves your legs for the summit.

Summary

Puerto de Peña Aguda rewards the patient: a 22.5 km category 1 climb that trades brutal steepness for relentless length, lifting you 1109 m to a summit at 1953 m. Pace it off your threshold, gear low, and let the average do the work.

Length: 22.5 km
Average gradient: 4.93%
Max gradient: n/a
Start: 844 m
Summit: 1953 m
Net gain: 1109 m
Total ascent: 1187 m
Category: 1