Paso de Puentecillas

Paso de Puentecillas cycling climb profile

Paso de Puentecillas is not defined by a single steep wall. It is defined by duration, accumulated vertical load, and the way a modest average gradient can disguise a very serious day on the bike.

The headline numbers are clear: 93.4 km in length, 3413 m of net elevation gain, 3814 m of total ascent, and an HC classification. The road starts at 519 m and finishes at 3932 m, which means the climb is less about one decisive pitch and more about managing a long upward trend all the way to the summit.

How the gradient unfolds

The average gradient is 3.65%, which can look manageable on paper. That number needs to be treated carefully. Over 93.4 km, even a moderate average creates a large physiological cost because the effort is prolonged and recovery is limited by the constant elevation trend.

The bigger clue is the gap between net elevation gain and total ascent. With 3814 m of total ascent against 3413 m of net gain, Paso de Puentecillas is not a perfectly uniform ramp. There is enough variation in the profile that the rider should expect changes in pitch, brief easing sections, and renewed climbing rather than one steady metronomic grade from bottom to top.

The maximum gradient of 32.42% is the number that should shape your gearing and pacing choices. Even if that maximum appears briefly, it changes the demands of the climb. A climb with a 3.65% average and a 32.42% maximum is not a simple aerobic drag. It asks for patience on the easier gradients and enough reserve to handle brutally steep ramps without being forced into repeated surges above sustainable power.

For more on why average gradient can mislead, see /glossary/gradient.

How to pace it

The main mistake is riding the lower slopes as if the average gradient tells the full story. It does not. The length, summit elevation, and total ascent all point toward a climb where early restraint matters more than early speed.

A practical approach:

• Ride the opening phase below your normal climbing ceiling, especially if conditions or load make the effort feel easy.
• Use the easier gradients as controlled momentum, not as invitations to chase speed.
• Keep torque low where possible. Over this distance, grinding too early will compound fatigue long before the summit.
• Save a margin for the steepest ramps. The 32.42% maximum means you need the ability to respond without detonating.

If using power, this is a climb where /glossary/ftp should act as a ceiling rather than a target for long stretches. The winning pacing logic is not to maximize each section. It is to minimize costly spikes while keeping forward pressure on the road.

Gearing notes

Bring genuinely low climbing gears. The average gradient may suggest standard road gearing is enough, but the maximum gradient argues the opposite. On a 93.4 km HC climb with 3814 m of total ascent, the best gearing is the setup that lets you stay seated, keep cadence alive, and avoid muscular failure on the steepest pitches.

That means prioritizing range over pride. A compact or sub-compact style setup with the largest practical cassette is the rational choice, especially if the bike is loaded or the rider is pacing conservatively for the full ascent.

Paso de Puentecillas rewards discipline. The profile gives chances to settle, but the accumulated climbing and severe maximum gradient punish riders who treat the early kilometers as free speed.