Alto de Bellavista

Overview

Alto de Bellavista is a hors catégorie (HC) climb, the hardest rung on the classification ladder above categories 1, 2, 3 and 4. The numbers explain why it earns that top billing: 38.9 km of continuous climbing, a net elevation gain of 2023 m, and a finish line perched at 3473 m. You start already high, at 1450 m, and grind relentlessly upward from there.

The average gradient of 5.19% sounds almost civilised, but averages lie on a climb this long. With 38.9 km to cover and a max pitch of 15.84%, Bellavista is less a single wall and more a marathon of shifting demands. The total ascent of 2111 m — a touch more than the net 2023 m — tells you there are small dips and false flats folded into the ascent, brief moments where the road gives back a little before taking it away again.

How the Gradient Unfolds

Read the profile as a story of accumulation rather than shock. A 5.19% average across 38.9 km means the road rarely lets you coast, but it also rarely spikes into the red for long. The gap between the 2111 m total ascent and the 2023 m net gain — 88 m of give-back — confirms the climb isn't perfectly monotonic; expect a handful of shallow recoveries and short descents woven through the middle.

The 15.84% maximum is the sting in the tail of the story. Somewhere on this ascent the road rears up more than three times steeper than the average, and at altitude — remember you finish at 3473 m — those ramps bite far harder than they would at sea level. Thin air turns a manageable pitch into a lung-searing effort.

Pacing Notes

On a climb of this length, discipline beats bravado. Anchor your effort to your FTP and hold steady rather than chasing the steep sections. Over 38.9 km, even a small overshoot early compounds into a blow-up long before 3473 m.

If you don't know your threshold, run the numbers through the FTP estimator before you go. A realistic FTP lets you set a sustainable target and ration your matches for the 15.84% ramps. Factor in altitude too: above 3000 m your usable power drops, so the wattage that feels easy at 1450 m may be your ceiling near the summit.

Gearing

Gear for the max, not the average. The 5.19% mean is spinnable on almost anything, but the 15.84% pitches at 3473 m of altitude demand a bailout ratio. A compact chainring paired with a wide cassette is the sensible baseline: a 34×32 will get most riders up the steep sections, but for the length of Bellavista and the thin air near the top, a 34×34 gives you the extra spinning room to protect your legs across all 38.9 km. Err toward the easier gear — you will not regret it at 3400 m.

Summary

Alto de Bellavista is a true HC test: long, high, and unrelenting from 1450 m to 3473 m. Pace it by your FTP, gear generously, and respect the altitude, and its 2023 m of climbing becomes an achievement rather than an ordeal.

Length: 38.9 km
Average gradient: 5.19%
Max gradient: 15.84%
Start: 1450 m
Summit: 3473 m
Net gain: 2023 m
Total ascent: 2111 m
Category: HC