Puerto de la Cadena

Overview

Puerto de la Cadena is a 4.8 km category 3 ascent that trades on consistency rather than brutality. From a valley start at 89 m, the road works steadily upward to a summit of 325 m, giving 236 m of net elevation gain. With an average gradient of 4.91% and a maximum of just 5.88%, this is a climb defined by how tightly it stays inside a narrow band. There are no wild ramps here, no sudden walls to survive. The whole appeal, and the whole challenge, lies in rhythm: hold a strong tempo and you fly; let it drift and the length quietly eats away at you.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The numbers tell a remarkably even story. The gap between the 4.91% average and the 5.88% maximum is barely a percent, which means the steepest pitch you will meet is only marginally harder than the effort you are already producing. A climb like this rarely lets you coast and rarely spikes. Expect the gradient to hover close to 5% for most of the 4.8 km, tightening gently toward its 5.88% peak before easing back into the summit at 325 m. Because total ascent measures 213 m against 236 m of net gain, the profile trends upward almost the entire way, with very little false-flat or descent to interrupt the effort. It is, in short, a metronome of a climb.

Pacing Notes

Even gradients reward even power, so this is a climb best measured against your FTP. Settle into a sustainable percentage of threshold from the base and resist the urge to surge on the slightly stiffer 5.88% section — at under 5 km, the temptation to attack early is your biggest enemy. If you do not know your threshold number, run the numbers through the FTP estimator first, then translate that into a target you can hold for the full 4.8 km. The reward for discipline is real: a steady effort across 236 m of climbing will nearly always beat a ragged one that blows apart before the top.

Gearing

For a climb averaging 4.91% and topping out at 5.88%, most riders will be comfortable on a compact setup. A 34×32 gives you enough range to spin the steeper pitches without grinding, and it keeps your cadence lively across the sustained middle section. If you carry endurance-day fatigue, favor an easier gear, or simply prefer to sit and spin rather than muscle the pedals, a 34×34 buys you extra insurance for the top third without any real downside on a climb this moderate. Neither gear is overkill — the length matters more than the pitch, and having a bailout cog keeps your legs fresh for the summit.

Summary

Puerto de la Cadena is a climb for riders who love rhythm over drama: 4.8 km of near-constant grade, a summit at 325 m, and a gradient that never truly bites. Pace it evenly, gear it sensibly, and it becomes a satisfying tempo test rather than a survival exercise.

Length: 4.8 km
Average gradient: 4.91%
Max gradient: 5.88%
Start: 89 m
Summit: 325 m
Net gain: 236 m
Total ascent: 213 m
Category: 3