Puerto del Morredero

Overview

Puerto del Morredero is a category HC climb in Spain, the top classification reserved for ascents that sit beyond the standard scale. It runs 8.2 km from a start elevation of 851 m to a summit at 1736 m, delivering a net elevation gain of 885 m. That works out to an average gradient of 10.83%, a figure that stays in double digits from bottom to top and marks this as a genuinely severe effort rather than a long tempo grind.

The net gain of 885 m only tells part of the story. Total ascent over the climb is 1217 m, meaning you actually climb 332 m more than the elevation difference between base and summit suggests. That gap comes from undulation — short descents and dips that force you to reclimb the same metres. Every one of those 332 extra metres costs energy while returning nothing on the clock, so the perceived effort runs harder than a clean 885 m profile would imply.

How the Gradient Unfolds

An average of 10.83% hides how uneven the road is. The undulation means the gradient is not a steady wall — it lurches. Some ramps sit well above the average, and the recovery dips between them are real but short, rarely long enough to fully clear your legs before the next kick.

• Flatter or descending sections where you should keep pedalling and carry momentum rather than freewheeling
• Repeated short climbs stacked back to back, each one rebuilding the effort you just shed
• The steepest ramp, which spikes far above the 10.83% average and demands your lowest gear

Pacing Notes

On a climb this undulating, chasing an even speed will blow you up. Speed drops on the steep ramps, and trying to hold a number there sends your power spiking into the red. Pace to even effort instead: hold a steady, sustainable output and let your speed rise and fall with the gradient.

Anchor that effort to your sustainable power output rather than to how the road feels moment to moment. On the dips and descents, keep the pedals turning — that is where you convert momentum into free ground. If you do not know your ceiling yet, run the FTP estimator before you commit to a target for the day.

Gearing

The steepest ramp governs your gearing choice here, not the average. On pitches this severe you want a compact or sub-compact chainset paired with a wide-range cassette — a 34×32 as a floor, and 34×34 if your derailleur allows it. The extra range is what lets you keep a spinnable cadence on the worst ramps instead of grinding to a stall. Check your setup before the ride: confirm the cassette, the rear derailleur capacity, and that the chain length is right for the largest sprocket. Discovering you are over-geared halfway up an HC climb is not a mistake you can pedal your way out of.

Summary

• Length: 8.2 km
• Average gradient: 10.83%
• Net elevation gain: 885 m
• Total ascent: 1217 m
• Category: HC

Puerto del Morredero is a short climb by distance but an uncompromising one by gradient. With 885 m of net gain packed into 8.2 km and another 332 m of undulation stacked on top, it rewards riders who pace to effort, gear conservatively, and treat every dip as a chance to keep moving rather than to rest.