Alto de los Cacaos cycling climb profile
Alto de los Cacaos is a serious Colombian HC climb because the difficulty is not built around one isolated steep section. It is the combination of length, elevation gain, and a high average gradient that makes it hard to manage. The climb runs for 20.8 km at an average gradient of 7.97%, starting at 864 m and topping out at 2522 m. By the summit, the road has gained 1658 m net, with 1684 m of total ascent.
That small difference between net elevation gain and total ascent matters. This is not a climb defined by repeated descents or recovery valleys. The profile points to a largely uphill effort where the pressure stays on the pedals for a long time. On a climb this long, an average gradient close to 8% is not just a headline number. It shapes the entire ride because it limits how often you can soft-pedal without giving away speed.
How the gradient rides
The key feature is sustained load. At 20.8 km, Alto de los Cacaos is long enough that the first part has to be ridden with restraint, even if the legs feel good. The average gradient of 7.97% suggests a climb where momentum is expensive and pacing errors compound quickly.
The maximum gradient of 15.88% is the number that should influence your gearing, not your target effort. A ramp that steep can force a surge if the gearing is too large, and that surge has a cost later. On a climb with 1658 m of net elevation gain, burning matches on the steepest pitch is rarely paid back. The better approach is to absorb the ramp with cadence and gearing rather than trying to keep the same speed.
Pacing and gearing notes
Treat Alto de los Cacaos as a long threshold-management climb, not a sequence of attacks. The opening should feel controlled enough that you are not bargaining with the gradient before the halfway point. If riding by power, anchor the effort around sustainable climbing intensity rather than chasing speed across changes in pitch. For riders using perceived effort, the right early sensation is firm but repeatable, with enough room to respond when the road reaches its steepest gradients.
Gearing should be chosen for the 15.88% maximum gradient, not the 7.97% average. A compact or climbing-friendly setup is the sensible choice for most riders, especially because the climb finishes at 2522 m after starting at 864 m. Even without overthinking the altitude effect, the vertical gain alone means fatigue will build steadily.
Use the flatter-feeling moments, if they come, to reset breathing and cadence rather than to accelerate. The total ascent of 1684 m makes efficiency the priority. The rider who keeps torque under control, avoids early spikes, and saves a usable gear for the steepest ramps will usually climb Alto de los Cacaos faster than the rider who treats the average gradient as permission to start hard.
For pacing benchmarks, tie the effort to your current /glossary/ftp rather than a target speed. On a climb with this much sustained vertical gain, speed is the output. Controlled pressure is the input.