A Steep Paved Road to Alto del Moncalvillo in La Rioja

A Steep Paved Road to Alto del Moncalvillo in La Rioja

Spain, europe

Length

8.6 km

Elevation

1,480 m

Difficulty

hard

Best Season

Year-round

Alto del Moncalvillo is a 1,480-meter (4,855ft) mountain peak tucked away in Spain's La Rioja region, and it's got some serious mountain cred—the Vuelta has tackled this climb before!

The road up to the summit is fully paved, though you'll notice some rough patches along the way. What really keeps you on your toes are the 6 hairpin turns and several sections where the road gets pretty narrow. Fair warning: bring your A-game driving skills.

Starting from the LR-341 near Daroca de Rioja, the climb stretches 8.6 km (5.34 miles) with a brutal 752 meters of elevation gain. You're looking at an average gradient of 8.74%, but some sections spike up to a punishing 14%—the kind of grades that make your legs (or engine) really feel it.

Once you make it to the top, you'll find communication towers, various facilities, and a fire lookout tower, all perched up there in the Sierra de Moncalvillo range. It's a challenging, rewarding drive through some stunning Spanish mountain terrain that's earned its place in cycling history.

Where is it?

A Steep Paved Road to Alto del Moncalvillo in La Rioja is located in Spain (europe). Coordinates: 41.0657, -3.6496

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Road Details

Country
Spain
Continent
europe
Length
8.6 km
Max Elevation
1,480 m
Difficulty
hard
Coordinates
41.0657, -3.6496

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