Alto del Ficalito

Overview

Alto del Ficalito is a Category 1 climb in Colombia, running 18.2 km from a valley floor at 246 m to a summit at 1,354 m. That gives a net elevation gain of 1,108 m at an average gradient of 6.08%. On paper it reads as a long, steady grind — a sustained mid-tempo effort rather than a short, explosive wall.

The paper figure understates the work, though. The total ascent is 1,797 m, nearly 700 m more than the 1,108 m net gain. That 689 m gap is undulation: rollers, false flats, and short descents that you climb back out of. You do the equivalent of an extra Category 3 climb inside this one, and every metre lost to a dip is a metre re-earned. Expect the effort to feel harder than the average gradient promises.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The 6.08% average is a blend, not a constant. With this much undulation, long stretches sit well under 6% while the ramps that connect them bite harder. Do not settle into one rhythm and expect it to hold — the road keeps breaking your cadence.

• Flatter recovery sections and false flats where the grade drops toward the low single digits
• Repeated short climbs stacked between dips, each one re-gaining lost height
• Short descents that interrupt momentum and force a re-start on the far side
• The steepest ramp sitting noticeably above the average, where you shift down and grind

Pacing Notes

On an evenly graded climb, even-speed and even-effort pacing nearly converge. Here they diverge sharply. Chasing an even speed over the rollers will spike your power on every ramp and bury you early. Pace by effort instead: hold a steady, repeatable output anchored to your sustainable power output, let speed rise on the flatter sections, and accept it falling on the ramps.

If you do not know your ceiling, run the FTP estimator first. Given the 689 m of extra ascent, target a touch below your usual long-climb effort so you have headroom for the repeated pitches near the top.

Gearing

Gear for the steepest ramp, not the 6.08% average. A compact (50/34) or sub-compact chainset paired with a wide-range cassette — something like 34×32 or 34×34 — keeps your cadence up when the road kicks and spares your legs across 18.2 km of stop-start climbing. On the undulations, easy gears also let you spin over the tops rather than mashing. Check your chainring and cassette combination before the ride; discovering you are over-geared at the first steep pitch is a long way from the summit.

Summary

• Length: 18.2 km
• Average gradient: 6.08%
• Net elevation gain: 1,108 m
• Total ascent: 1,797 m
• Category: 1

Alto del Ficalito is a long Category 1 effort where the undulation, not the average gradient, defines the day. Pace by effort, gear low, and respect the extra 689 m hidden in the profile.