Alto del Molino

Alto del Molino cycling climb profile

Alto del Molino is an HC climb built around duration more than brutality. The road climbs for 30.9 km, gains 1598 m, and averages 5.18% from a start elevation of 1763 m to a summit elevation of 3361 m.

Because the listed total ascent matches the net elevation gain, the available profile points to a climb that keeps trending upward without meaningful downhill relief. That matters tactically. Any recovery has to come from softer gradients and better pacing, not from coasting through descents.

How the gradient unfolds

At 5.18% average over 30.9 km, Alto del Molino is not defined by one savage wall. It is defined by the cost of holding a moderate climbing load for a long time. The maximum gradient of 10.35% is the key warning. Even if much of the climb feels manageable, there are steep enough pitches to punish riders who settle too close to threshold too early.

The practical read is straightforward: be patient in the lower and middle portions, then make sure you still have cadence control when the road reaches its harder ramps. With 1598 m of vertical gain, small pacing errors compound. A rider who treats the average gradient as easy can reach the upper section carrying fatigue instead of momentum.

Pacing and gearing notes

Ride Alto del Molino as a long threshold-management climb, not as a sequence of short efforts. The opening priority is to cap intensity, especially because the average gradient can make the early kilometers feel deceptively controlled. If you pace by /glossary/ftp, the sensible target is sustainable sub-threshold pressure until the climb has clearly shown where the steepest gradients sit.

Gearing should be chosen for the 10.35% maximum gradient, not the 5.18% average. A setup that feels smooth on steadier grades can become expensive if it forces low-cadence grinding on the steepest pitches. Keep one or two easier gears in reserve and use cadence to absorb changes in gradient instead of spiking power every time the road kicks.

What decides a good ride

The decisive factor is energy discipline. The climb rises from 1763 m to 3361 m, so the final section comes after a long accumulation of work. Riders who keep the first part controlled can lift effort progressively near the top. Riders who chase speed early are likely to find that the HC label is less about any single gradient and more about how long Alto del Molino keeps asking the same question.