Collado de los Farraldos cycling climb profile
Collado de los Farraldos is a compact Category 3 climb in Spain: 4.4 km at an average gradient of 5.91%, rising from 520 m to a summit elevation of 781 m. On paper, that makes it a climb defined less by survival and more by discipline. It is long enough to punish an early overreach, but not steep enough to force a purely defensive ride if you pace it correctly.
The key number is the relationship between the average gradient and the maximum gradient. With an average of 5.91% and a maximum of 7.98%, the climb does not present as a sharp wall followed by recovery. Instead, the profile points toward a fairly controlled ascent where the harder sections are meaningful but still within the same general climbing rhythm. That matters tactically: if you ride the opening too hard because the gradient feels manageable, the later ramps toward the high end of the profile can turn a steady effort into damage control.
How the gradient rides
The available profile data gives the climb as 4.4 km with 261 m of net elevation gain and 208 m of total ascent. Without detailed split gradients, the safest reading is to treat the climb as a sustained moderate effort with short sections that can approach 7.98%.
That means the ride should feel like pressure rather than violence. The average gradient sits in the range where seated climbing is usually the most efficient choice, especially if the goal is to hold speed without repeated accelerations. The maximum gradient is high enough to require a lower gear, but not so high that it should force a full reset of rhythm.
Pacing strategy
The main mistake on Collado de los Farraldos is likely to be underestimating it. A 4.4 km climb can feel short enough to attack from the bottom, but the 5.91% average makes that risky if you are riding near your limit.
A better approach:
- Start just under your target climbing effort for the opening section
- Settle into a sustainable seated rhythm once the gradient stabilises
- Save your harder push for the final part of the climb, when the summit is close enough that the 7.98% maximum ramps cannot compound into a long fade
If you pace with power, this is a climb to ride around controlled threshold rather than with repeated spikes. For reference points, use your /glossary/ftp and avoid treating the early kilometres as free speed.
Gearing notes
Gear for consistency, not rescue. The climb is not steep enough on the data to demand extreme gearing, but the maximum gradient of 7.98% means you should have at least one comfortable lower gear available for the steeper pitches. If you are overgeared, the climb will push you into grinding exactly where you want to keep the effort smooth.
For a strong rider, Collado de los Farraldos is an efficient tempo-to-threshold climb. For a rider pacing conservatively, it rewards patience and a clean final acceleration. Either way, the profile argues for restraint early and commitment late.