Puerto de Tazacorte

Overview

Puerto de Tazacorte is a short, sharp category 3 climb that packs plenty of bite into a compact 3.7 km. Over that distance you gain 215 m net, rising from a start elevation of just 14 m to a summit at 229 m. The average gradient sits at 5.78%, which reads as moderate on paper — but with a max of 13.63%, this climb is far from uniform. It's the kind of effort that rewards riders who can read the road and meter their power rather than simply grinding at a fixed pace.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The headline numbers tell a story of variability. A 5.78% average paired with a 13.63% max means the climb is stitched together from easier ramps and much steeper pitches. Total ascent registers at 195 m against a net gain of 215 m, and that small gap hints at a road that mostly climbs steadily with little reprieve — there's little wasted descending to claw back. Expect the steepest sections to spike well above the average, roughly two and a half times the mean gradient at their worst. When the road tilts toward that 13.63% ceiling, cadence drops and the effort turns anaerobic in a hurry, so knowing where those ramps fall matters more than the tidy average suggests.

Pacing Notes

On a climb this short, restraint early pays dividends late. Because the steep pitches can push you well over your sustainable output, anchor your pacing to your FTP rather than to how the opening metres feel. Aim to hold a controlled effort on the shallower gradients and accept that the 13.63% ramps will briefly send you above threshold — that's fine over 3.7 km, provided you don't arrive at them already redlined. If you don't know your threshold number, run it through the FTP estimator first so your targets are grounded in real data. The whole climb is over quickly, so treat it as a hard, sustained effort: settle into rhythm on the 5.78% sections and save a little headroom for the pitches that spike toward the maximum.

Gearing

For a climb that averages 5.78% but spikes to 13.63%, gearing that covers the steep ramps is the difference between spinning through them and grinding to a crawl. A compact chainset paired with a wide-range cassette is the sensible default here. A 34×32 will handle most of the climb comfortably and give you a workable low gear for the steeper pitches. If you prefer to keep cadence high — or you're carrying fatigue into the day — step up to a 34×34, which gives noticeably more relief precisely where the road reaches toward that 13.63% max. Either choice keeps you seated and turning the pedals rather than lurching out of the saddle on the worst ramps.

Summary

Puerto de Tazacorte is a brief but honest test: short enough to attack, steep enough to punish a poorly judged start. Respect the pitches near the maximum, pace off your threshold, and gear low enough to spin the steep bits.

Length: 3.7 km
Average gradient: 5.78%
Max gradient: 13.63%
Start: 14 m
Summit: 229 m
Net gain: 215 m
Total ascent: 195 m
Category: 3