Region: Spain
Climbing effort: 1048 cep
Elevation meters: 1535
Steepest kilometer: 8.7%

Steepest 250 m: 10%
Foot: 533 m    Top: 2041 m
Mean slope: 6.1%
Length: 24.7 km

From: Cherín
Road conditions (2019): good
Other race bikers: 0-1 per hour
Motor vehicles: 10-30 per hour
Scenery and road: (3/5)
Restaurant or bar near top: yes

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Other climbs Spain

Among the few roads crossing the Sierra Nevada, the road across the Puerto de la Ragua is the largest. Yet there is little traffic here, which, in addition, is not hectic and consists mainly of tourists in their cars. All in all, the landscape is quite green, at least during the last days of April, when I cycled here. The ride starts at the end of the bridge in Cherín. The first four kilometers, which follow the valley of the Río Bayárcal, are still relatively easy (-3 to 7%). Then the hardest part of the ride follows, four kilometers of around 8%. From the beginning of the ride a white village is visible, straight ahead and initially elevated far above the cyclist. It is the village of Laroles, which is reached after nine kilometers of cycling. We keep right there. There are still around 1000 elevation meters ahead, hence a big job reamins to be done. Yet the climb is not really difficult because the slope hardly exceeds 7%. The last 2-3 kilometers are beautiful with grassy meadows in a dense, dark green pine forest.