Puerto del Pino

Overview

Puerto del Pino is a short but honest category 3 climb. Over just 4.2 km it lifts you from 588 m at the base to a summit of 872 m, a net gain of 284 m. The average gradient of 6.83% tells you most of the story: this is a consistent, no-nonsense ascent that rewards a steady rhythm rather than heroics. With a maximum pitch of 7.85%, the ramps never spike into wall territory, so the challenge here is pacing rather than survival. It is the kind of climb you can commit to fully from the bottom, knowing the top is only a few kilometres away.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The defining feature of Puerto del Pino is how little the gradient moves. The 6.83% average sits remarkably close to the 7.85% maximum, meaning there are no genuine flat sections to recover on and no brutal spikes to blow you apart. The whole climb lives inside a narrow band of steepness. Interestingly, the total ascent of 259 m is slightly less than the net elevation gain of 284 m, a small quirk of the profile that confirms the road climbs almost monotonically toward the summit with barely any downhill or false-flat interruptions. In practice you can expect the slope to settle into the mid-to-high sixes early and hold there, nudging toward its 7.85% peak on the steepest ramp before easing back to the summit at 872 m.

Pacing Notes

Because the gradient is so even, Puerto del Pino is an ideal climb for riding at a controlled, sustainable effort. Anchor your pace to your FTP: aim to sit just below threshold for the bulk of the 4.2 km, then release whatever you have left in the final stretch as the summit comes into view. There are no recovery flats, so surging early will cost you dearly on such a relentless slope. If you are not sure what power you can hold for the roughly 15 to 20 minutes this climb will take, run the numbers through the FTP estimator first and set a target before you hit the base. A climb this consistent punishes poor pacing and rewards discipline.

Gearing

For a 4.2 km climb averaging 6.83% and never exceeding 7.85%, most riders will be comfortable on a compact setup. A 34×32 gives you enough range to spin the steadier sections without over-gearing, and it is a sensible default for a fit rider tackling this category 3 ascent. If you prefer to protect your legs, ride at a higher cadence, or expect to climb fatigued, step up to a 34×34 for extra insurance on the steepest ramp near the 7.85% mark. Either choice lets you hold a smooth, seated rhythm, which is exactly what this evenly graded climb wants from you.

Summary

Puerto del Pino is a compact, consistent category 3 climb that trades length for relentless steadiness. At 4.2 km and 6.83% average, it is an excellent test of pacing and a perfect target effort for dialling in threshold work. Set your gearing, meter your effort, and let the even slope do the rest to the 872 m summit.

Length: 4.2 km
Average gradient: 6.83%
Max gradient: 7.85%
Start: 588 m
Summit: 872 m
Net gain: 284 m
Total ascent: 259 m
Category: 3