Degollada de la Manzanilla

Overview

Degollada de la Manzanilla is a long, sea-level launch: 19.7 km of climbing that starts at just 5 m and tops out at 839 m. That works out to 834 m of net elevation gain, with 844 m of total ascent once the small dips along the way are counted. The average gradient of 4.23% marks this as a category 2 climb — not the savage pitch of an HC or category 1 ascent, but a sustained effort where the sheer distance does the damage. Nearly starting from the water and finishing well above 800 m, this is a climb of patience rather than pure power.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The headline number to respect here is the gap between average and maximum. At 4.23% overall the slope feels moderate, but the 8.39% max gradient means the road roughly doubles in steepness at its hardest points. Because total ascent (844 m) sits only 10 m above the net gain (834 m), the profile is overwhelmingly upward — there are almost no meaningful descents to recover on across the full 19.7 km. Expect the climb to breathe: gentler valleys of a few percent stitched together with ramps that bite toward the 8.39% ceiling. The steepest sections are where a steady rhythm quietly falls apart if you have spent yourself early.

Pacing Notes

On a climb this long, discipline beats bravado. Anchor your effort to your FTP and hold a fraction below it on the shallow sections so you have headroom for the ramps toward 8.39%. If you do not know your threshold, run the numbers through the FTP estimator before you ride. With 19.7 km ahead of you and 834 m to gain, the temptation is to push where the road eases — resist it. Bank effort in reserve for the steep pitches, keep your cadence smooth, and treat the 4.23% average as your baseline metronome rather than a target to constantly exceed.

Gearing

Because the difficulty here is duration rather than a wall of gradient, gearing should protect your legs over the full 19.7 km. A compact 34-tooth inner chainring paired with a wide cassette is the sensible default. A 34×32 will cover most riders comfortably on the sub-5% majority of the climb and give you something to spin on the 8.39% ramps. If you are carrying fatigue, riding at altitude near the 839 m summit, or simply prefer to twiddle, step up to a 34×34 for extra insurance — the lower ratio keeps your cadence high and your knees happy across all 844 m of ascent.

Summary

Degollada de la Manzanilla rewards the patient climber. From 5 m to 839 m over 19.7 km, at a manageable 4.23% average that spikes to 8.39%, it is a category 2 test of endurance and pacing rather than raw explosiveness. Gear low, meter your effort, and let the distance come to you.

Length: 19.7 km
Average gradient: 4.23%
Max gradient: 8.39%
Start: 5 m
Summit: 839 m
Net gain: 834 m
Total ascent: 844 m
Category: 2