Puerto de Alisas

Overview

Puerto de Alisas is a category 2 climb in Spain, running 9.3 km from a low, near-sea-level start to its summit. Over that distance it delivers a net elevation gain of 583 m, lifting you from a start elevation of 82 m to a summit at 665 m. The average gradient sits at 6.29%, which places it squarely in sustained-tempo territory rather than the all-out wall-climbing bracket.

The number to watch is the gap between net gain and total ascent. You gain 583 m in altitude, but the road actually climbs 777 m in total. That 194 m difference is undulation: sections where the road dips or flattens before pitching up again, meaning you re-climb ground you already gave back. On paper this is a 583 m ascent; in the legs it is closer to 777 m of work. Plan your effort against the larger figure, not the smaller one.

How the Gradient Unfolds

A 6.29% average is an honest middle value, but it hides real variance. With 194 m of extra ascent baked in, the climb is not a steady ramp — it stair-steps. Expect stretches that ease off enough to spin and recover, then short, sharp reloads that spike well above the average, topping out at a 20.74% pitch. That single ramp is where riders who paced to the average number get caught out.

• Flatter or descending recovery sections that account for the undulation
• Repeated short climbs that reset your rhythm rather than one continuous grade
• A steepest ramp at 20.74% that demands a gear in reserve

Pacing Notes

On a climb this lumpy, chasing an even speed will wreck you — you will overcook the steep reloads and coast the flats. Pace to even effort instead, holding a steady sustainable power output through the ramps and letting speed rise on the shallower sections. Let the 20.74% pitch cost watts briefly rather than blowing your ceiling to hold a number. If you do not know your threshold, run the FTP estimator first and set a target you can carry across all 9.3 km, including the 194 m of undulation on top of the base climb.

Gearing

The steepest gradient governs your gearing, and 20.74% is steep enough to punish a road-standard setup. Fit a compact or sub-compact chainset paired with a wide-range cassette — a 34×32 or 34×34 gives you a bailout gear for the sharp ramp without spinning out on the tempo sections. Check your setup before the ride, not at the base of the climb.

Summary

• Length: 9.3 km
• Average gradient: 6.29%
• Maximum gradient: 20.74%
• Net elevation gain: 583 m
• Total ascent: 777 m
• Category: 2

Puerto de Alisas reads as a moderate category 2, but the 194 m gap between net gain and total ascent tells the real story. Pace to effort, gear for the 20.74% ramp, and it rewards you.