Paso de Lipinza

Paso de Lipinza cycling climb profile

Paso de Lipinza is a long category 1 climb: 20.2 km from bottom to summit, starting at 331 m and topping out at 1253 m. The headline average of 4.56% can make it look manageable on paper, but the 922 m net elevation gain and 11.09% maximum gradient tell the more useful story. This is not a short anaerobic wall. It is a sustained endurance climb with enough steepness to punish poor pacing.

How the gradient rides

The average gradient sits in that deceptive middle zone where the climb can feel controlled early, especially if the road gives you any relief. But over 20.2 km, even a moderate average becomes expensive if you ride the first part like a tempo effort that might end soon. The gap between the 4.56% average and the 11.09% maximum suggests a variable profile: easier gradients are offset by sharper ramps, so the effort will not feel perfectly steady even if the overall number looks moderate.

That matters tactically. On a climb like this, the steepest sections are where riders tend to overpay. A short surge at double-digit gradient costs far more than the same speed increase on the flatter parts, and the length of Paso de Lipinza means those spikes can come back later. Treat the maximum gradient as a warning, not as the defining feature. The defining feature is duration.

Pacing and gearing notes

The best approach is to ride the first portion under control, settle into a sustainable climbing rhythm, and leave enough room to absorb the steeper ramps without having to force a low-cadence grind. If you pace by power, this is a climb where using /glossary/ftp as an anchor makes sense: stay honest early, avoid repeated surges above your sustainable range, and let the road decide where effort naturally rises.

Gearing should account for the 11.09% maximum gradient, not just the 4.56% average. A setup that feels comfortable on a steady moderate climb may feel overgeared when the road pitches up. Choose a low enough gear to keep cadence smooth on the steepest ramps, because grinding those sections will load the legs before the climb is finished.

Bottom line

Paso de Lipinza is a climb of patience. The numbers point to a long, mostly aerobic ascent with enough gradient variation to break riders who chase speed too early. Ride it as a 20.2 km effort, respect the ramps, and save your hardest work for the final push to 1253 m.