Urtzumeatza

Overview

Urtzumeatza is a category 2 climb in Spain that packs a genuine punch into a compact 6 km. From a start elevation of 72 m it lifts you to a summit at 430 m, a net gain of 358 m at an average gradient of 6.01%. On paper that average reads as honest but manageable; in the legs it plays out differently, because the road rears to a maximum gradient of 14.02% somewhere along the way. Six kilometres is long enough to matter and short enough that you cannot simply spin it away. This is a climb that rewards riders who read the road and pace with discipline rather than ego.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The two numbers that define Urtzumeatza's character are the 6.01% average and the 14.02% maximum. That gap tells the story: this is not a metronomic climb where you settle into one cadence and hold it. A max more than double the average means the gradient swings, with easier stretches offset by pitches that bite well into double digits. Note too the difference between the 358 m net elevation gain and the 344 m of total ascent — the recorded ascent sits just below the point-to-point rise, which points to a road that climbs almost continuously across its 6 km rather than throwing in false flats or descents. Expect to be always climbing, sometimes gently, sometimes hard against that 14.02% wall.

Pacing Notes

Because the gradient is uneven, average power is your friend and instantaneous power is a trap. Anchor your effort to your FTP and let the steep ramps pull you briefly above threshold, knowing the shallower sections will let your numbers settle back down. Over 6 km a category 2 effort is best ridden as a sustained tempo-to-threshold block, spending your matches on the 14.02% pinch rather than burning them early on the gentler grade. If you are unsure of your threshold before tackling it, run the numbers first with the FTP estimator so you climb to a target rather than to feel alone.

Gearing

For a 6 km climb averaging 6.01% with ramps to 14.02%, gearing is about protecting your cadence when the road stands up. A compact 34-tooth inner chainring paired with a 34×32 low gear will keep most trained riders turning a respectable cadence through the steep sections. If you weigh a little more, ride at endurance pace, or simply want insurance against that 14.02% max, drop to a 34×34. The extra range costs you nothing on the shallower stretches and buys you a spinnable gear precisely where the 358 m of climbing hurts most.

Summary

Urtzumeatza is a well-rounded category 2 test: 6 km, 6.01% on average, and a 14.02% sting that keeps you honest across all 358 m of climbing. Pace it to your threshold, gear for the steep bits, and it becomes a satisfying rhythm climb rather than a survival exercise.

Length: 6 km
Average gradient: 6.01%
Max gradient: 14.02%
Start: 72 m
Summit: 430 m
Net gain: 358 m
Total ascent: 344 m
Category: 2