Degollada de la Cumbre

Overview

Degollada de la Cumbre is a genuine hors catégorie (HC) test — the hardest rating on the scale before you drop to category 1, 2, 3 and 4. It runs 21.3 km with an average gradient of 7.67%, hauling you from a near-sea-level start at 12 m all the way up to a summit of 1645 m. That is 1633 m of net elevation gain and 1624 m of total ascent, meaning the road climbs almost relentlessly with barely any respite. There are no soft warm-up kilometres here: the climb begins low and does not stop.

How the Gradient Unfolds

A 7.67% average across 21.3 km is a long, sustained ask, but the number that defines this climb is the 20.69% maximum. Ramps that steep are where a climb bites — they are three to four times harder than the average and will spike your effort well past anything you can hold for long. With 1633 m of vertical to cover and a total ascent of 1624 m almost matching it, the descending is negligible; you are grinding upward the entire way. Expect the gradient to swing from steady 7–8% drags into short, brutal walls before easing back to the average. Managing those swings — rather than the average itself — is what separates a clean ascent from a blow-up.

Pacing Notes

On a climb this long, discipline beats ambition. The goal is to hold a steady effort just under your threshold, letting the steep pitches push you briefly over rather than trying to hammer the whole 21.3 km. Anchor your pacing to your FTP: riding the sustained sections at a controlled percentage of it leaves you headroom to absorb the 20.69% ramps without redlining. If you are not sure where your threshold sits, run the numbers through the FTP estimator before you start, then set a power or heart-rate ceiling and refuse to break it early. With 1633 m to gain, the climb rewards patience — the riders who fade are almost always the ones who went too hard in the first third.

Gearing

Do not under-gear an HC climb. With a 20.69% max gradient and a 7.67% average sustained over 21.3 km, you want a compact chainring and the widest cassette you can fit. A 34×32 is the sensible minimum for strong climbers who can turn a big gear, but for most riders a 34×34 is the smarter choice — that extra sprocket keeps your cadence up on the steepest walls and protects your legs across a climb that gains 1633 m. Spinning a lower gear costs you nothing and saves everything.

Summary

Degollada de la Cumbre is a long, punishing HC ascent: 21.3 km of sustained 7.67% gradient with a 20.69% sting, climbing from 12 m to 1645 m for 1633 m of net gain. Gear low, pace to your threshold, and respect the distance.

Length: 21.3 km
Average gradient: 7.67%
Max gradient: 20.69%
Start: 12 m
Summit: 1645 m
Net gain: 1633 m
Total ascent: 1624 m
Category: HC