San Rafael is a climb of 54.1 kilometers (hors catégorie). San Rafael tops out at 2,845 m above sea level. It is located in La Felisa, Caldas, Colombia. The average gradient is 5.5% with a maximum of 17%. The climb has 2959 meters of elevation gain.
Difficulty breakdown: With 2959m of climbing over 54.1km, this hors catégorie ascent is a real endurance test. The 6% average gradient is deceptive: the profile is very uneven, alternating steep stretches (several kilometres at 7-9%) with flat sections (KM 8-9, 23-24, 35-36, 39-40) that break your rhythm. The difficulty lies in the length and the repetition of the steep sections, especially after KM 30.
Pacing advice:
1. Find your rhythm on the early gradients. The first 12 km are relatively gentle (mostly 1-5%). Use this part to settle into a steady aerobic tempo without overcooking it.
2. Anticipate the hard sections. Watch for the successive steep sections (e.g. KM 14-20 at 8-9%, KM 29-33 at 7-8%). Ease off slightly before these sections so you tackle them with fresher legs.
3. Use the flat sections to recover. The kilometres at zero or low gradient (KM 8-11, KM 45-47 on the descent) are crucial. Shift to an easier gear, ease the pressure on the pedals and drink without pushing too hard.
54.1 km • 2959 m D+
VAM: average climbing speed, based on elevation gain
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