Puerto del Madroño

Overview

Puerto del Madroño is a long-haul category 1 climb that trades brute steepness for relentless distance. Over 22.1 km it lifts you from just 12 m at the base to a summit at 1053 m — a net gain of 1041 m. The average gradient sits at a manageable-looking 4.7%, but that number hides the real story: this is a climb you win with patience and metering, not with attacks. Nearly an hour and a half of continuous uphill effort is the sort of ride that rewards riders who know their limits and punishes those who don't.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The headline figure is 4.7% average, but the profile is not uniform. With a maximum pitch of 8.59%, there are ramps that nearly double the average, meaning stretches of easy spinning are broken up by sections that force you out of rhythm. The gap between the 1041 m net gain and the 1017 m total ascent is small, which tells you the road climbs almost monotonically — there is very little descending or false-flat relief to recover on. Expect a climb that keeps tilting upward the whole way, with the steepest 8.59% kickers demanding a gear change and a mental reset rather than a full-blown surge.

Pacing Notes

On a climb this long, the single biggest mistake is starting too hard. Anchor your effort to your FTP and aim to hold a percentage of it you can sustain for the full 22.1 km — for most riders that means sitting a touch below threshold and saving matches for the 8.59% ramps. If you don't know your threshold number, run it through the FTP estimator before you plan your target. Because the road climbs almost the entire 1041 m without respite, there are few natural recovery points, so build your own: ease slightly over the shallower stretches and let your heart rate settle before the next steep pitch arrives.

Gearing

Twenty-two kilometres of uphill is where gearing choices get exposed. A compact 34-tooth front paired with a wide cassette is the sensible baseline here. A 34×32 will get most fit riders over the climb, but on a grind this long fatigue compounds, and the 8.59% ramps late in the effort feel far steeper than they read on paper. If you have any doubt about your climbing legs — or you're carrying luggage — fit a 34×34 for the extra bailout gear. Spinning a slightly lighter gear over 22.1 km protects your legs far more than muscling a hard one.

Summary

Puerto del Madroño is an endurance climb defined by its length rather than its severity: 22.1 km at 4.7% average, topping out at 1053 m. Pace it conservatively, gear generously, and respect the 8.59% pitches, and it becomes one of the more satisfying long climbs you can ride.

Length: 22.1 km
Average gradient: 4.7%
Max gradient: 8.59%
Start: 12 m
Summit: 1053 m
Net gain: 1041 m
Total ascent: 1017 m
Category: 1