Alto de Icononzo

Overview

Alto de Icononzo is a hors catégorie climb, the hardest rating on the scale before you run out of categories entirely. Over 13.4 km it lifts you from a start elevation of 361 m to a summit of 1494 m, a net elevation gain of 1133 m. The total ascent tallies 1117 m, confirming that this is a climb that goes almost relentlessly upward with barely a metre given back. The headline figure is the 8.47% average gradient — a number that, sustained across 13.4 km, puts Icononzo firmly among the climbs that reward patience and punish over-eagerness.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The defining trait here is consistency. An 8.47% average over 13.4 km means there are very few genuine recovery stretches; the road simply keeps tilting. With a max gradient of 14.02%, the steepest pitches sit roughly 5.55 percentage points above the average, so the hardest ramps are noticeably tougher than the baseline but never veer into wall-like territory. Expect the climb to feel like a long, grinding staircase rather than a series of violent spikes. Because the total ascent (1117 m) is only 16 m short of the net gain (1133 m), there are essentially no descents to interrupt your rhythm — what you climb, you keep.

Pacing Notes

On a climb this long and this steep, discipline early is everything. The 8.47% average is close enough to many riders' threshold that going out hard will cost you dearly in the final kilometres. Anchor your effort to your FTP and aim to hold a steady, sustainable power rather than chasing the steep pitches. Treat the 14.02% ramps as moments to briefly accept a lower speed instead of surging — spiking your power there wrecks pacing for the kilometres that follow.

If you are unsure of your threshold before tackling 1133 m of climbing, work it out first with the FTP estimator. Knowing that number lets you translate the 13.4 km distance into a realistic time budget and keeps you off the rev limiter when the road bites.

Gearing

At 8.47% average for 13.4 km with pitches to 14.02%, gear low and gear early. A compact 34-tooth inner ring is the sensible starting point. Pair it with at least a 34×32 for the sustained middle section, and if your legs or your load favour spinning, step up to a 34×34 to keep your cadence comfortable on the 14.02% ramps. The extra range of the 34×34 matters most late in the climb, when 1133 m of accumulated gain has drained your reserves and every fraction of a gear helps you keep turning the pedals smoothly.

Summary

Alto de Icononzo is an honest, unrelenting HC climb: 13.4 km, an 8.47% average, and 1133 m of net gain with almost nothing given back. Pace it to your threshold, gear low, and respect the length — the summit at 1494 m is earned metre by metre.

Length: 13.4 km
Average gradient: 8.47%
Max gradient: 14.02%
Start: 361 m
Summit: 1494 m
Net gain: 1133 m
Total ascent: 1117 m
Category: HC