Alto del Entierro

Alto del Entierro cycling climb profile

Alto del Entierro is a short, controlled category 3 climb in CL: 4.6 km at an average gradient of 5.18%, rising from 145 m to 383 m. On paper, that makes it manageable rather than severe, but the maximum gradient of 10.29% is the important detail. This is not a climb to treat as a steady ramp from bottom to summit.

The headline average suggests tempo riding, but the double-digit maximum means the road has at least one section sharp enough to punish a rider who starts too hard. The practical challenge is not surviving a long mountain effort. It is keeping the early power under control so the steeper ground does not force a costly surge above threshold.

How the gradient rides

With 4.6 km to cover and 238 m of net elevation gain, Alto del Entierro is the kind of climb where small pacing errors show up quickly. The average gradient sits in a range where most trained riders can stay seated and keep pressure on the pedals, but the max gradient changes the rhythm. Any ramp near 10.29% will feel meaningfully different from the climb's average, especially if it arrives after a confident opening.

That contrast is what defines the climb. It is not long enough to demand pure endurance management, but it is long enough that repeated accelerations or over-geared riding can turn the final section into damage control. The fastest ride is likely to come from smoothing the effort across the full climb rather than chasing speed whenever the slope briefly feels easier.

Pacing and gearing notes

Start below the effort you think you can hold. On a 4.6 km climb, it is tempting to ride by feel from the base, but the 5.18% average can disguise the cost of the steeper pitches. If using power, settle into a sustainable climbing effort early, then allow short rises in output only where the gradient forces them. If riding by feel, keep the breathing controlled until the climb has fully declared its shape.

A low enough gear matters here, not because the climb is extreme, but because the 10.29% maximum can disrupt cadence. Being able to stay seated through the steepest section will usually cost less than standing and spiking power. Riders who tend to grind should shift earlier than instinct suggests, keeping the legs moving before the gradient bites.

Use the final portion based on what is left. If the steepest work has been handled without going deep into the red, this climb rewards a progressive finish. If the early pacing was too aggressive, there is nowhere to hide: the combination of short length and variable gradient makes every overreach feel immediate. For more on matching effort to duration, see /glossary/ftp and /glossary/gradient.