Collado Meaca

Overview

Collado Meaca is a Category 2 climb in Spain (ES), running 10 km from a valley start at 281 m to a summit at 733 m. On paper that gives a net elevation gain of 452 m — a moderate figure that, spread across the full length, produces a gentle-sounding average. The category and the numbers suggest a steady, manageable ascent rather than a wall.

The paper figure lies. While the net gain is 452 m, the total ascent is 909 m — more than double. That gap means roughly 457 m of descending is folded into the climb (909 − 452), so you repeatedly give back altitude and then reclaim it. Every metre you coast down has to be re-earned, which is why the effort feels heavier than a simple 452 m gain implies. Treat this as an undulating road, not a single sustained drag.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The 4.51% average is an artefact of all that up-and-down. Because the road sheds and regains 457 m of elevation, the true climbing pitches are far steeper than the mean, culminating in a maximum of 24.96%. Where the profile dips, the gradient goes negative; where it bites, it bites hard.

• Flatter and downhill recovery sections that drag the average down but let you soft-pedal
• Repeated short climbs stacked back to back rather than one continuous ramp
• A steepest ramp hitting 24.96% — a near-standstill pitch that demands your lowest gear

Pacing Notes

On a climb this lumpy, chasing an even speed is a trap: holding the same km/h on a 24.96% wall would spike your power far past anything sustainable, and you'll blow before the summit. Pace by even effort instead. Anchor your climbing sections to a target sustainable power output, let the speed rise on the shallow bits, and back off — spinning easy or freewheeling — through the descents. Use the downhills as genuine recovery. If you don't know your ceiling, run the numbers through the FTP estimator before you go, then hold the steep ramps just under threshold rather than burying yourself early.

Gearing

The 24.96% maximum dictates your setup, not the tame average. A near-25% pitch will overpower a standard chainset, so bring a compact (50/34) or sub-compact and pair it with a wide-range cassette — think 34×32 or 34×34 — to keep a survivable cadence when the road stands up. Check your chainring and cassette before the ride; discovering you've run out of gears mid-ramp on a 24.96% pitch is not a mistake you recover from gracefully.

Summary

• Length: 10 km
• Average gradient: 4.51%
• Maximum gradient: 24.96%
• Net elevation gain: 452 m
• Total ascent: 909 m
• Category: 2

Collado Meaca is a Category 2 climb that rides tougher than its numbers. The 452 m net gain understates 909 m of real climbing, and the 24.96% maximum rewards riders who pace by effort and gear for the steep. Come prepared and it's a satisfying, honest challenge.