Alto de las Juntas

Alto de las Juntas cycling climb profile

Alto de las Juntas is a long category 1 climb in AR that asks for patience more than punch. At 35.1 km, with 1,463 m of net elevation gain and 1,470 m of total ascent, the defining feature is not a single brutal wall. It is the accumulation. The numbers point to a climb that rises almost continuously from 461 m to 1,924 m, with very little elevation loss along the way.

That matters tactically. On a climb with this much length and so little offset between net gain and total ascent, there is limited opportunity to reset the legs through meaningful downhill sections. Even if the average gradient of 4.17% looks moderate on paper, the duration turns it into an aerobic pacing problem. Riders who treat the opening kilometres like a short climb will pay for it later, because the road keeps asking for steady work.

How the gradient unfolds

The context does not provide a kilometre-by-kilometre gradient breakdown, so the safest read is from the overall shape: 35.1 km at 4.17%, topping out at a maximum gradient of 8.5%. That combination suggests a climb built around sustained, manageable gradients rather than repeated extreme ramps.

The key practical detail is the gap between the average and the maximum. A max of 8.5% is steep enough to force a change in cadence and torque, especially deep into a long effort, but it is not so severe that the climb should be paced around survival gearing alone. The average tells you most of the ascent is likely spent below that peak, while the length tells you those easier gradients still matter because they last so long.

In simple riding terms, Alto de las Juntas is a climb where the danger is drifting above target power because the gradient feels controllable. The road may not punish you immediately, but over 35.1 km small overages compound.

Pacing and gearing notes

Start below ambition. The first priority is keeping the effort aerobic and repeatable, especially if riding by /glossary/ftp. On a climb this long, an early surge rarely buys much unless it is tied to a race move. For most riders, the smarter approach is to settle into a sustainable rhythm, let speed fluctuate with the gradient, and avoid chasing pace whenever the road steepens toward the 8.5% maximum.

Gearing should be chosen for cadence control, not just for the average gradient. A setup that feels comfortable at 4.17% can still feel heavy on the steeper pitches if fatigue has already built up. The right gear is the one that lets you stay seated and smooth when the gradient bites, without forcing low-cadence grinding late in the climb.

The clean pacing model is simple:

• Ride the lower slopes conservatively, because the climb is 35.1 km long.
• Treat the 8.5% sections as moments to absorb, not attack by default.
• Keep enough in reserve for the upper climb, where the accumulated 1,463 m of net gain becomes the real opponent.
• Use power or perceived effort to cap surges, not speed.

Alto de las Juntas is not defined by one savage number. It is defined by how long it keeps rising. Respect the duration, gear for the steepest ramps, and the climb becomes a controlled endurance effort rather than a slow fade.