Paso de los Bejucos

Overview

Paso de los Bejucos is a genuine hors catégorie climb, and the numbers make no apology for it. Over 17.4 km the road hauls you from a start elevation of 1228 m to a summit at 2463 m — a net elevation gain of 1235 m at a punishing 7.11% average. This is not a climb that rewards bravado in the opening kilometres. It is long enough to expose poor pacing, steep enough to punish it, and high enough that the thin air of the final stretch adds a quiet tax on top of everything the gradient is already demanding.

At HC, Bejucos sits above the categorised scale entirely — harder than a Cat 1, and in a different weight class from the 2, 3 and 4 climbs most riders cut their teeth on. Treat it with respect from the bottom.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The defining feature here is sustain, not shock. A 7.11% average held across 17.4 km means there are very few soft kilometres to recover in — the road simply keeps tilting upward. The max gradient of 12.25% tells you the ceiling: the steepest ramps are roughly 5.14 percentage points above the average, sharp enough to force you out of rhythm but never so vertical that momentum collapses.

Note also the gap between net elevation gain and total ascent: 1235 m of net gain against 1193 m of total ascent. With the summit sitting a clean 1235 m above the start, the profile trends relentlessly upward with almost no giveback — expect a climb that just keeps climbing, with the steepest pitches most likely stacked where you can least afford them.

Pacing Notes

The single biggest mistake on a climb this long is starting above your sustainable ceiling. Anchor your effort to your FTP and hold something you can defend for the better part of an hour, not a hard ten minutes. On a 7.11% average, small surges cost far more than they return, and the 12.25% ramps will ask for those matches whether you like it or not — so bank discipline early.

If you are not sure what number to pace against, run your recent data through the FTP estimator and set a realistic power or heart-rate cap before you reach the base. Ride the first third comfortably under threshold, meter your effort through the steep middle, and only spend what is left once the summit at 2463 m is in reach.

Gearing

Gear for the long haul, not the average. On a 17.4 km climb at 7.11% with ramps to 12.25%, a compact 34-tooth chainring paired with a wide cassette is the sane baseline. A 34×32 will get most fit riders over the top, but on the steepest pitches — and especially in the thinning air near 2463 m — you will be grinding a low cadence right when your legs want to spin.

If you have any doubt about your climbing legs or your loaded weight, fit a 34×34. The extra sprocket costs you nothing on the flat and buys real breathing room on the 12.25% sections, letting you keep the pedals turning instead of lurching. On a climb this sustained, cadence preservation is the difference between finishing strong and detonating early.

Summary

Paso de los Bejucos is a long, honest HC ascent: 17.4 km, 7.11% average, and a net 1235 m of vertical to a 2463 m summit. Pace it to your threshold, gear low, and let the mountain come to you.

Length: 17.4 km
Average gradient: 7.11%
Max gradient: 12.25%
Start: 1228 m
Summit: 2463 m
Net gain: 1235 m
Total ascent: 1193 m
Category: HC