Puerto Usaide

Overview

Puerto Usaide is a Category 2 climb in Spain that runs 13 km from a start elevation of 465 m to a summit at 1,126 m. On paper it delivers 661 m of net elevation gain at a 5.08% average — a mid-length climb that sits squarely in the range most trained riders can hold at tempo without blowing up.

But the net figure only tells part of the story. Total ascent on Puerto Usaide is 823 m, which is 162 m more than the net gain. That gap is undulation: the road gives back and then reclaims elevation across the profile. You climb more than the 661 m the summit-minus-start math suggests, and every metre of descent between pitches means re-accelerating and re-loading your legs. Budget your effort against 823 m of climbing, not 661.

How the Gradient Unfolds

A 5.08% average is a smoothed figure. On an undulating climb like this it hides both the flatter recovery stretches and the sharper ramps that push well above the mean. Do not pace to the average — pace to the sections.

• Flatter or gently descending recovery sections where you can spin, recover, and eat
• Repeated short climbs that stack up to the 162 m of extra ascent
• The steepest ramp, where the gradient spikes hard above the average and demands your lowest gear

Pacing Notes

On a rolling climb, even-speed pacing is a trap — holding a fixed speed forces huge power spikes on the ramps and wasted coasting on the descents. Pace to even effort instead. Hold a steady sustainable power output through the climbs, ease slightly over the crests, and let momentum carry you across the dips rather than surging.

If you do not know your threshold number, run the FTP estimator before you ride and set a target you can hold across all 13 km — including the re-accelerations after each descent, which quietly cost more than the profile suggests.

Gearing

The steep ramps on Puerto Usaide are the constraint. Gear for the hardest pitch, not the average. A compact (50/34) or sub-compact chainset paired with a wide-range cassette — 34×32 or 34×34 — keeps your cadence up when the gradient bites, so you spin the steep sections rather than grinding and shredding your legs before the summit. Check your setup before the ride: confirm the cassette and rear derailleur actually give you that low gear, because discovering you are one sprocket short happens on the ramp, not in the car park.

Summary

• Length: 13 km
• Average gradient: 5.08%
• Net elevation gain: 661 m
• Total ascent: 823 m
• Category: 2

Puerto Usaide is harder than its net numbers imply. The 162 m gap between net gain and total ascent is the difference between a rider who paces to the average and one who paces to the road. Gear low, ride to effort, and treat every dip as a cost, not a rest.