Puerto del Bellotar

Overview

Puerto del Bellotar is a category 3 climb that rewards rhythm over raw power. Over 8.1 km it gains a net 396 m, carrying you from a start elevation of 856 m up to a summit at 1252 m. The average gradient sits at 4.92%, and the steepest pitch peaks at just 6.09% — numbers that tell you almost everything you need to know before you turn a pedal. This is not a wall. It is a long, evenly-graded lever that stays close to its average the whole way up, with a total ascent of 371 m spread across the full distance.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The defining feature of Bellotar is how little the road deviates from its 4.92% average. With a maximum gradient of only 6.09%, the gap between the mean slope and the hardest ramp is barely more than a percentage point — roughly 1.17% of separation. That consistency is rare and valuable. There are no lung-emptying double-digit kickers to survive and no false flats long enough to let your effort collapse. Instead the climb asks for one thing: sustained, uninterrupted output across 8.1 km. The 396 m of net gain arrives gradually, so the elevation ticks upward at a rate your legs can learn and lock into within the first kilometer.

Pacing Notes

Because the slope is so uniform, Bellotar is an ideal climb to ride at a controlled threshold effort. Set your target as a percentage of your FTP and hold it — the constant 4.92% grade means power and speed stay tightly coupled, so a steady wattage produces a steady, predictable ascent. Resist the urge to surge on the marginally steeper 6.09% sections; at just over a percent above average, they cost far more when attacked than when absorbed. If you are unsure what number to aim for, run your recent efforts through the FTP estimator and ride the whole 8.1 km slightly below that ceiling. Save any acceleration for the final few hundred meters into the 1252 m summit, where you can spend whatever is left.

Gearing

For a climb averaging 4.92% with a max of 6.09%, you do not need extreme bailout ratios — but comfort keeps you smooth over 8.1 km. A compact 34-tooth inner chainring paired with a 34×32 low gear will let most riders spin the full climb without grinding. If you carry extra fatigue, favor endurance over speed, or simply prefer a higher cadence on longer efforts, step up to a 34×34. Either way the goal is the same: keep your cadence high and even so the constant grade never forces you out of the saddle. On a climb this consistent, the right gear is the one that lets you forget about gearing entirely.

Summary

Puerto del Bellotar is a climber's metronome — long enough to matter, even enough to enjoy, and honest from bottom to top. Pace it at threshold, gear it for cadence, and let the steady 4.92% do the rest.

Length: 8.1 km
Average gradient: 4.92%
Max gradient: 6.09%
Start: 856 m
Summit: 1252 m
Net gain: 396 m
Total ascent: 371 m
Category: 3