Puerto del Peón

Overview

Puerto del Peón is a Category 2 climb in Spain, running 8.9 km from base to summit. It starts at 718 m and tops out at 1306 m, for a net elevation gain of 588 m. On paper that reads as a steady mid-length ascent, and the 6.63% average gradient supports that first impression.

The number that changes the story is total ascent. While the net gain is 588 m, the climb actually forces 933 m of vertical work — a 345 m gap. That extra climbing comes from descents and flat stretches embedded in the profile: every time the road drops, you have to re-earn that height. Expect the effort to feel harder than the net gain suggests, because you are climbing more metres than the summit elevation alone accounts for.

How the Gradient Unfolds

A 6.63% average is a blend, not a constant. On an undulating climb like this, the average is dragged down by recovery sections and dragged up by short, sharp ramps. The steepest pitch hits 20.88%, more than three times the average, so the road is nowhere near uniform.

• Flatter and downhill recovery sections that account for the gap between net gain and total ascent
• Repeated short climbs stacked between those recoveries — the rhythm-breakers
• A steepest ramp near 20.88% that demands your lowest gear and a deliberate seated effort

Pacing Notes

On an undulating climb, chasing even speed is a trap: you burn matches surging over every ramp and coast the descents. Aim instead for even effort. Hold a steady target below your sustainable power output on the shallow and downhill sections rather than freewheeling, and avoid spiking well over threshold on the 20%+ pitches. The 345 m of extra ascent means those spikes add up fast.

If you do not know your ceiling, run the FTP estimator first and set a power cap you can hold for the full 8.9 km, then let speed vary with the terrain.

Gearing

The 20.88% maximum gradient dictates your setup. A standard chainset will leave you grinding and forcing surges you can not afford on a climb with this much total ascent. Fit a compact or sub-compact chainset paired with a wide-range cassette — think 34×32 or 34×34 — so you can spin the steepest ramp seated rather than muscling over it. Check your chainrings and cassette before the ride; you do not want to discover you are one sprocket short halfway up.

Summary

• Length: 8.9 km
• Average gradient: 6.63%
• Maximum gradient: 20.88%
• Net elevation gain: 588 m
• Total ascent: 933 m
• Category: 2

Puerto del Peón is a climb where the profile matters more than the headline average. Respect the 345 m gap between net gain and total ascent, pace to even effort, and gear low enough for the 20.88% ramp, and it becomes a rhythm challenge you can control rather than one that controls you.