Coll de la Cabana

Overview

Coll de la Cabana is a long, category 1 climb that trades brutal steepness for sheer persistence. Over 20.3 km it lifts you from a start elevation of 712 m to a summit of 1628 m, a net gain of 916 m at an average gradient of 4.51%. On paper that average looks gentle, but at more than 20 km long, a moderate slope adds up to real work. This is a climb you settle into and grind out, not one you attack from the base. The total ascent of 961 m tells you the road isn't a clean, uninterrupted ramp — there are 45 m of dips and false flats scattered in that soak up momentum along the way.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The headline number is that 4.51% average, but the max gradient of 9.72% shows the road has teeth in places. Because the total ascent (961 m) exceeds the net gain (916 m), the profile can't be a smooth, uniform incline — there are rollers and brief descents that force you to keep gaining the same metres twice. Expect long, sustained middle stretches close to the average, punctuated by pitches that ramp toward that near-10% maximum. The gap between the 4.51% mean and the 9.72% peak is where the climb hides its difficulty: whenever the road tips up past the average, you'll feel it, then it eases back and you recover before the next kick.

Pacing Notes

On a climb this long, discipline beats aggression. The 20.3 km distance means most riders spend well over an hour on the slope, so anchor your effort to a sustainable percentage of your FTP rather than chasing the steep ramps. Ride the 9.72% pitches a touch below your ceiling and let the flatter sections near 4.51% carry your average pace, rather than the reverse. If you don't know your threshold, run your recent numbers through the FTP estimator before you commit to a target. The extra 45 m of climbing baked into the 961 m total ascent means the rollers will nibble at your legs — respect them, because burning matches on a false flat here is a mistake you'll pay for over the final kilometres to 1628 m.

Gearing

Twenty-plus kilometres of climbing rewards a wide, forgiving cassette. A compact 34-tooth chainring paired with a 34×32 low gear will get most fit riders over the 9.72% pitches without cratering their cadence. If you're carrying fatigue, riding at altitude near the 1628 m summit, or simply prefer to spin, step up to a 34×34 — that extra sprocket keeps your cadence high on the steep ramps and protects your legs across the full 916 m of gain. Given the length, err toward the easier option; there's no prize for over-gearing a 20.3 km climb.

Summary

Coll de la Cabana is a patience climb: long enough to matter, steep enough in spots to hurt, and best ridden with even pacing and easy gears. Respect the distance, meter your effort, and the summit comes to you.

Length: 20.3 km
Average gradient: 4.51%
Max gradient: 9.72%
Start: 712 m
Summit: 1628 m
Net gain: 916 m
Total ascent: 961 m
Category: 1