Paso de las Chinas

Paso de las Chinas cycling climb profile

Paso de las Chinas is a category 3 climb that looks moderate on paper but should not be treated as a simple tempo drag. The headline number is 13.6 km at 3.28%, rising from 243 m to 689 m, with 446 m of net elevation gain and 465 m of total ascent. That combination tells the story: the climb gains height steadily enough to matter, but the average is softened by easier gradients, possible false flats, and minor undulations.

The key figure is the 9.2% maximum gradient. On a climb averaging 3.28%, a ramp that steep means the effort is not distributed evenly from bottom to summit. The road is likely to reward riders who can stay patient through the gentler sections, then absorb sharper pitches without turning them into full anaerobic efforts.

How the gradient unfolds

With only the full-climb profile stats available, the safest way to read Paso de las Chinas is as a variable-gradient climb rather than a metronomic ascent. The total ascent of 465 m is slightly higher than the net gain of 446 m, which points to some non-linear terrain rather than a perfectly smooth rise.

That matters because a low average gradient can be deceptive. If you ride the early easier sections too hard because the speed feels manageable, the steeper ramps later in the climb become expensive. The climb is long enough that repeated surges above threshold will accumulate, but not so steep overall that pure climbing power is the only limiter. Aerobic control and gear discipline are likely to decide whether the final part feels composed or ragged.

Pacing and gearing notes

Ride the opening kilometres by effort, not speed. On gradients around this average, speed can vary significantly with wind, surface, and small changes in pitch, so chasing a target pace is a good way to overcook the easier ground.

Use a gear setup that keeps cadence comfortable when the road approaches the 9.2% maximum. The goal is not to save the easiest gear for the summit, but to avoid grinding each steep ramp at a force level that pushes you well above your sustainable output. If you know your /glossary/ftp, this is a climb to sit below it for most of the ascent, allowing controlled lifts over the sharper sections rather than repeated attacks.

The practical strategy is simple: keep the first half economical, resist surging on false flats, shift early before the steepest ramps, and let the average gradient work in your favour. Paso de las Chinas is not defined by one brutal number, but by the gap between its modest 3.28% average and its 9.2% ceiling. Respect that gap, and the climb becomes a controlled aerobic effort rather than a sequence of costly corrections.