Alto de Las Rojas cycling climb profile
The Alto de Las Rojas cycling climb is a Category 2 ascent that looks manageable on paper but still asks for discipline. At 12.8 km with an average gradient of 4.9%, it is not defined by constant steepness. The difficulty comes from how long you have to keep pressure on the pedals, and from the fact that the road can still reach a maximum gradient of 12.01%.
The climb starts at 157 m and tops out at 785 m, giving a net elevation gain of 628 m. That tells you the main story: this is a sustained climb from bottom to summit, but not a wall. If you ride it too aggressively early because the average gradient feels moderate, the sharper sections later will expose that mistake.
How the gradient rides
With only the headline profile data available, the safest read is that Alto de Las Rojas is a steady aerobic climb interrupted by short, much steeper ramps. A 4.9% average over 12.8 km usually rewards rhythm, but the 12.01% maximum gradient matters because it changes the cost of poor pacing. Those steeper moments will force higher torque, and if you arrive there already above threshold, they can turn a controlled climb into repeated recoveries.
The elevation gain is large enough that the climb should be treated as a real pacing exercise, not a rolling rise. The average gradient gives you room to settle, but the maximum gradient argues against over-gearing or chasing speed too early.
Pacing and gearing notes
Ride the lower slopes as if the climb is longer than it feels. The correct effort is one you can hold while still having the ability to lift the power briefly when the road pitches up. For most riders, that means sitting below /glossary/ftp rather than trying to average a heroic number from the base.
Practical approach:
- Start controlled and let the gradient, not adrenaline, set the first effort.
- Keep cadence protected with an easy enough climbing gear for the 12.01% sections.
- Avoid standing surges unless they are short and deliberate.
- Use the moderate average gradient to recover after steep pitches instead of pressing harder.
The key mistake is treating 4.9% as easy. Over 12.8 km, that average is enough to accumulate fatigue, and the steepest ramps make that fatigue expensive. Alto de Las Rojas is best ridden with restraint early, consistent pressure through the middle, and enough reserve to handle the double-digit gradient without losing form.