Alto de los Lirios

Alto de los Lirios cycling climb profile

Alto de los Lirios is a category 1 climb in Chile that rewards restraint more than aggression. On paper, 27.2 km at 5.1% looks manageable, but that average hides the main tactical problem: the climb reaches a maximum gradient of 23.62%. That means this is not a simple tempo drag from bottom to top. It is a long aerobic effort with at least one section steep enough to force a very different gear choice and pacing response.

The climb starts at 400 m and tops out at 1,785 m, gaining 1,385 m net. The total ascent is 1,410 m, only 25 m more than the net gain, which tells you something useful about the shape. This is not a climb defined by repeated descents or major interruptions. Most of the work is pointed in one direction: upward.

How the gradient should feel

Without intermediate gradient splits, the safest reading is to treat Alto de los Lirios as a climb with a broadly sustained uphill character and isolated severity. The 5.1% average over 27.2 km suggests long sections where an endurance rider can settle into rhythm, but the 23.62% maximum changes the risk profile completely.

A climb like this punishes riders who pace off the average alone. If you ride the early kilometres as if the entire ascent will stay close to 5.1%, the steepest ramp can become a forced over-threshold effort rather than a controlled surge. That matters because the duration implied by 27.2 km is already significant. Burning matches on a wall-like pitch can leave you paying for it long after the ramp has passed.

Pacing notes

The right approach is conservative early pacing. Ride the lower slopes below ego pace, especially if you are using FTP or threshold power as your anchor. The goal is not to maximise speed on the first steady section. It is to arrive at the steepest gradients with enough torque, cadence flexibility, and metabolic headroom to keep the effort under control.

On the sustained portions, settle into a repeatable tempo you could hold for the full climb, not just for the current section. When the gradient spikes, accept a short rise in power, but avoid turning it into a maximal effort. If you are already close to threshold before the 23.62% pitch, you have paced too hard.

Gearing notes

Gearing should be chosen for the maximum gradient, not the average. A 5.1% average can tempt riders into a setup that feels efficient on moderate slopes, but the 23.62% maximum means you need a low enough gear to stay seated or at least avoid grinding at very low cadence when the road bites.

For performance riding, use the climb as a controlled durability test: long enough to expose weak pacing, steep enough to expose poor gearing. If you are unsure what power range to target, estimate your sustainable numbers first with the /tools/ftp-estimator and then ride Alto de los Lirios with the steepest section already built into the plan.