Port de Sumacàrcer

Overview

Port de Sumacàrcer is short, but do not let the 2.1 km fool you. At an average gradient of 11.33%, this is one of those climbs that never gives you a place to hide. You start low, at 46 m, and finish at 282 m, a net gain of 236 m packed into barely two kilometres of road. That density is what makes it bite. Officially rated Category 2, it sits in the steep-and-punchy bracket rather than the long-endurance one, and it rewards riders who can hold a high effort without blowing apart.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The defining feature here is relentlessness. With an average of 11.33% across the whole 2.1 km, there are no meaningful flat sections to recover on. The gradient peaks at 14.32%, so the hardest ramps sit only about 2.99% above the average, meaning the "easy" parts are still genuinely steep. In practice the climb behaves like a single sustained wall: expect double-digit percentages from early on and the sharpest kick where the road pitches toward that 14.32% maximum. Because the total ascent recorded is 212 m against a net gain of 236 m, the profile is essentially all up, with no descending to reset your legs.

Pacing Notes

Your best tool on a climb this steep is discipline. Because the effort is short and severe, most riders can afford to ride above their sustainable threshold, but only if you meter it out. A good anchor is your FTP: on a 2.1 km wall you can typically hold something above it, but starting the first ramps at a controlled percentage of FTP keeps you from detonating before the 14.32% section. If you don't know your number yet, run the numbers through the FTP estimator before you attempt a serious effort here. Aim to arrive at the steepest pitches with a little in reserve, then spend it into the summit at 282 m.

Gearing

On an average of 11.33% with ramps to 14.32%, gearing is not a place to be brave. A compact 34-tooth chainring paired with at least a 32-tooth sprocket (34×32) is the sensible minimum for most riders, and even then you will be grinding through the steepest metres. If you weigh more, ride at a lower cadence, or simply want to protect your knees over 236 m of climbing, drop to a 34×34. The wider ratio lets you spin rather than lever your way up the 14.32% sections, which matters when there is no respite across the full 2.1 km. Err generous: nobody regrets an extra sprocket on a climb this steep.

Summary

Port de Sumacàrcer is a compact, uncompromising effort: 2.1 km that never eases below serious gradients, topping out at 282 m after 236 m of climbing. Rate your effort, gear low, and treat the whole thing as one sustained push.

Length: 2.1 km
Average gradient: 11.33%
Max gradient: 14.32%
Start: 46 m
Summit: 282 m
Net gain: 236 m
Total ascent: 212 m
Category: 2