Alto del Capote

Overview

Alto del Capote is a long, sustained category 1 climb that asks for patience before it asks for power. Over 16.4 km the road lifts you from a start elevation of 233 m to a summit at 1297 m — a net gain of 1064 m, with 1052 m of that arriving as genuine, ground-up ascent. The average gradient sits at 6.47%, which sounds civil until you remember it holds that pitch for the better part of an hour. This is not a wall you sprint; it is a distance you meter out, because at 16.4 km there is nowhere to hide and no false summit to bail you out early.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The number that reshapes everything is the maximum: 19.72%. A climb averaging 6.47% doesn't reach nearly 20% without dramatic variation, so expect the road to breathe — stretches that hover near or below the average, punctuated by ramps that briefly triple it. Because net gain (1064 m) sits slightly above total ascent (1052 m), the profile is almost entirely upward, with only the faintest respite along the way. Practically, that means the flatter sections are recovery, not rest. Treat every easing of the slope as a chance to spin your legs back to life before the next steep bite, and never let a 19.72% ramp catch you in the wrong gear at the wrong cadence.

Pacing Notes

The smartest way to ride 16.4 km at 6.47% is to anchor your effort to a percentage of your FTP rather than to how you feel in the first kilometre — early enthusiasm is the most expensive currency on a climb this long. Aim to settle into a steady tempo you can defend all the way to 1297 m, then hold a little in reserve for the 19.72% pitches, where power spikes are unavoidable. If you don't know your threshold, run the numbers through the FTP estimator first; a climb this sustained rewards riders who know their limit and punishes those who guess. Break the 1064 m of vertical into thirds and check in with yourself at each — even, honest, repeatable.

Gearing

For a category 1 climb of this length with ramps to 19.72%, gear low and gear early. A compact 34-tooth chainring paired with a 34×32 cassette will get most fit riders up the sustained 6.47% sections without cross-chaining into the red. But given how steep the max gets, if your knees or your endurance are in question, size up to a 34×34 — that extra sprocket is the difference between spinning over the steepest ramps and grinding to a stall. On a climb where you're pedalling for over 1000 m of ascent, a cadence you can sustain beats a big gear you can only muscle for a few metres.

Summary

Alto del Capote is a distance-and-discipline climb: 16.4 km, a 6.47% average that never truly relents, and a 19.72% max that demands respect. Pace it to your threshold, gear it generously, and let the 1064 m of vertical come to you.

Length: 16.4 km
Average gradient: 6.47%
Max gradient: 19.72%
Start: 233 m
Summit: 1297 m
Net gain: 1064 m
Total ascent: 1052 m
Category: 1