Alto de La Coca

Overview

Alto de La Coca is a hors catégorie climb, the hardest rung on the difficulty ladder, and its numbers explain why. Over 28.9 km the road hauls you from 1404 m at the base to 3367 m at the summit, a net gain of 1963 m at an average gradient of 6.79%. That is not a wall you sprint at and forget; it is a sustained, hour-plus effort where the altitude climbs into thin air and the metres never stop accumulating. Total ascent comes to 2098 m, meaning roughly 135 m of that is minor dips and re-climbs stitched into the profile rather than one clean upward line.

How the Gradient Unfolds

An average of 6.79% across 28.9 km is deceptively even on paper, but a climb this long rarely delivers its gradient in a flat, metronomic dose. The 135 m gap between the 2098 m total ascent and the 1963 m net gain tells you the road undulates: there are stretches that ease and short pitches that recover altitude you briefly gave back. Practically, expect the true ramps to sit above the 6.79% headline, offset by softer sections that let you breathe. The back half matters most here, because you finish at 3367 m — high enough that the air itself becomes a gradient of its own, sapping power even where the slope relents.

Pacing Notes

On a climb of 28.9 km, discipline beats bravado every time. Anchor your effort to your FTP: riding the lower portion at a fraction below threshold leaves headroom for the thin-air finish near 3367 m, where your usable power quietly shrinks. Going into the red early on a 1963 m gain is a debt you cannot repay before the top. If you are unsure of your threshold, run the numbers through the FTP estimator first and set a target you can hold for well over an hour. Treat the 6.79% average as your ceiling for the opening kilometres, not your floor — the altitude will do the rest of the work of making it feel hard.

Gearing

For an HC climb of this length and altitude, gear low and gear again. A compact 34-tooth chainring paired with a wide cassette is the sensible baseline: a 34×32 will get most fit riders up the steeper pitches, but on a 28.9 km grind that tops out at 3367 m, the extra insurance of a 34×34 is worth carrying. The lower ratio lets you spin rather than grind through the sustained 6.79% sections, protecting your legs across the full 1963 m of climbing. When the choice is between a cadence you can sustain and one you can only survive, take the 34×34 and thank yourself in the final kilometres.

Summary

Alto de La Coca is a genuine HC test: long, high, and relentless. Respect the altitude, gear low, pace to your threshold, and let the 1963 m of climbing come to you rather than chasing it.

Length: 28.9 km
Average gradient: 6.79%
Max gradient: n/a
Start: 1404 m
Summit: 3367 m
Net gain: 1963 m
Total ascent: 2098 m
Category: HC