Port de Sagra

Overview

Port de Sagra is a short, honest category 4 climb in Spain that rewards a smooth, controlled effort rather than heroics. Over 3.9 km the road lifts you from a start elevation of 25 m to a summit at 207 m, a net gain of 182 m. The average gradient sits at a friendly 4.68%, which places it firmly in the "tempo climb" bracket — steep enough to feel it in the legs, shallow enough that you can hold a rhythm the whole way up. With a total ascent of 160 m recorded along the route, the profile is close to a single sustained pull rather than a series of ramps and descents. It is a climb you can attack with confidence once you know where the effort goes.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The headline number is the 4.68% average, but the climb has more texture than that suggests. The maximum gradient touches 8.47%, so somewhere along these 3.9 km there is a pinch that is nearly double the average. That gap between mean and max is the story of the climb: long stretches sit at or a little below 4.68% to balance out the steeper section that spikes toward 8.47%. Expect to settle into a comfortable cadence early, then meet a harder kick where the road bites. Because the total ascent of 160 m is slightly less than the 182 m of net gain, the road climbs almost continuously with little relief — there is nowhere to properly recover, so the pacing you choose at the bottom is the pacing you live with all the way to 207 m.

Pacing Notes

For a climb this length, aim to ride just under your threshold and save a small reserve for the 8.47% pinch. If you know your FTP, target a power that you could hold for a little longer than the climb takes — a category 4 ascent of 3.9 km is usually over quickly, so err toward controlled rather than conservative. Riders who go into the red on the shallow opening tend to blow apart when the gradient jumps toward its 8.47% maximum. If you have never measured your threshold, use the FTP estimator to get a working number, then hold steady through the average-gradient sections and lift your effort only where the road steepens.

Gearing

You do not need extreme gearing for a climb topping out at 8.47%, but comfort matters over 3.9 km. A compact 34-tooth chainring paired with a 34×32 cassette gives most riders enough range to spin the steepest pitch without grinding. If you carry a little more weight, prefer a higher cadence, or simply want insurance for the 8.47% pinch, step up to a 34×34. Both setups let you keep your legs turning rather than mashing, which protects your effort for the sustained middle of the climb where the 4.68% average quietly adds up.

Summary

Port de Sagra is a compact, rhythm-friendly climb with one sharp sting. Pace the shallow sections, respect the 8.47% pinch, and gear low enough to spin — and you will crest the 207 m summit with something left.

Length: 3.9 km
Average gradient: 4.68%
Max gradient: 8.47%
Start: 25 m
Summit: 207 m
Net gain: 182 m
Total ascent: 160 m
Category: 4