| Famous climb |
| Beautiful scenery |
| 16 hairpin turns |
| #97 toughest climb of Europe |
| #86 most elevation gain of Spain |
| #96 longest climb of Asturias |
| #88 average steepest climb of Cantabrian Mountains |
Alto de l'Angliru is a climb in the region Asturias. It is 13km long and bridges 1266 vertical meters with an average gradient of 9.7%, resulting in a difficulty score of 1544. The top of the ascent is located at 1555 meters above sea level. Climbfinder users shared 9 reviews of this climb and uploaded 31 photos.
Road names: RI-2, RI-5 & Carretera a L'Angliru
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It is by far the hardest climb I have tackled: the Mortirolo seems like a walk in the park in comparison. The ramp to 21％ (500 metres!) is something devastating, even from a mental point of view: it feels like an endless lift! The scenery is really beautiful and it's worth doing: but equip yourself with something better than my 36*28, because at the worst points you can't climb at more than 5 km/h!
E' di gran lunga la salita più dura che io abbia affrontato: a confronto il Mortirolo sembra una passeggiata di salute. La rampa al 21％ (500 metri!) è qualcosa di devastante, anche dal punto di vista mentale: sembra un ascensore infinito! Il paesaggio è davvero bellissimo e vale la pena farla: ma dotatevi di qualcosa di meglio del mio 36*28, perchè nei punti peggiori non si riesce a salire a più di 5 km/h!
You should try the Mortirolo from Tovo with a nice section at 25％ on concrete covered in leaves although I imagine the Angliru is devastating!
Dovresti provare il Mortirolo da Tovo con un bel tratto al 25％ su cementata coperta di foglie anche se immagino che l’Angliru sia devastante!
Incredible, what a monster climb. At the foot you are already warned: Hay que suffrido -- this will be gruelling.... The climb is almost unbearable as you approach the top; on several occasions I felt like falling over because of the (too) low speed you can develop on the steep sections. Getting out of the saddle is not an option because then you have a high chance of your rear wheel slipping. I ended up swerving back and forth on several sections. (Fortunately, I recently saw in the Netflix series on the 2022 Tour de France edition that several sprinters also went up the last part of the Peyregudes like this, so there's no shame in that). Just before the summit, though, you are treated to stunning views of Oviedo and the Atlantic Ocean! A mountain you must have climbed once, but will probably ignore forever after....
Ongelooflijk, wat een monsterklim. Aan de voet wordt je al gewaarschuwd: Hay que suffrido -- dit wordt afzien... De klim is naarmate je de top nadert bijna niet te doen; Ik heb diverse momenten het gevoel gehad dat ik omviel vanwege de (te) lage snelheid die je op de steile stukken kunt ontwikkelen. Uit het zadel gaan is geen optie want dan heb je een grote kans dat je achterwiel doorslipt. Uiteindelijk heb ik op meerdere stukken heen en weer moeten zwalken. (Gelukkig zag ik onlangs in de Netflix serie over de Tour de France editie van 2022 dat meerdere sprinters het laatste deel van de Peyregudes ook zo zijn opgegaan, dus dat is geen schande.) Net voor de top wordt je wel op een prachtig uitzicht op Oviedo en de Atlantische Oceaan getrakteerd! Een berg die je een keer beklommen moet hebben, maar daarna waarschijnlijk voor altijd links zult laten liggen...
I was quite nervous after all the stories about this climb and rightly so. The first 6 km I could go up in a relaxed way, waiting for the things to come. From the mirador, halfway up, the going got tough; a pretty steep part, I had trouble keeping my front wheel on the road; after that I got into a good rhythm with an occasional tough part. The last 3 km were really the hardest I've ever had on a bike... but the road surface was good and near the top I suddenly cycled out of the clouds into the sun and was welcomed by a group of cheering Spaniards. I was also given a push in the direction of the real summit. After that, I enjoyed the view! The descent was again in fog and that made it hard to watch out; sometimes there is a cow 5 metres in front of you... heavy but what a beautiful climb I had!
Ik was behoorlijk zenuwachtig na alle verhalen over deze beklimming en dat was terecht. De eerste 6 km kon ik lekker sparend omhoog wachtend op de dingen die komen gingen. Vanaf de mirador halverwege ging het los; een behoorlijk steil stuk, ik had moeite mijn voorwiel op de weg te houden; daarna kwam ik goed in een ritme met af en toe een heel zwaar stuk. De laatste 3 km waren echt het zwaarste wat ik ooit gehad heb op de fiets.. maar het wegdek was goed en tegen de top fietste ik uit de bewolking plots in de zon en werd ik ontvangen door een groepje juichende Spanjaarden. Ook kreeg ik nog een duw richting de echte top. Daarna heb ik genoten van het uitzicht! De afdaling ging weer in de mist en dat was opletten opgeblazen; soms staat er zomaar een koe 5 meter voor je neus.. zwaar maar wat een prachtige beklimming had ik!
I organised a trip to Asturias, just to be able to do this and other climbs that have made part of Vuelta history. In particular, the Angliru is a climb with two faces, the first part climbs gently with pedalable gradients in a mountain landscape dominated by greenery, the second part is a violent slap made of steep climbs, breathtaking hairpin bends without interruption, and all just when your energy is struggling to come to your aid. Tackled at the end of July 22, on a beautiful day, it was a unique experience. Tip....planned a period of hard training before doing it.
Mi sono organizzato un viaggio nelle Asturie, solo per poter fare questa ed altre salite che hanno fatto una parte della storia della Vuelta. In particolare l'Angliru è una salita dalle due facce, la prima parte si arrampica dolcemente con pendenze pedalabili in un paesaggio di montagna dominato dal verde, la seconda parte è uno schiaffo violento fatto di ripide salite, tornanti mozzafiato senza soluzione di continuità, e il tutto proprio quando le energie fanno fatica a venirti in aiuto. Affrontata alla fine di Luglio 22, con una giornata splendida, è stata una esperienza unica. Consiglio....mettete in programma un periodo di duro allenamento prima di farla.
the mother of all climbs.
Only go there if you are already in great shape. If not... don't bother.
la mère de toutes les montées.
N'y allez que si vous êtes déjà très en forme. Sinon... ce n'est pas la peine.
El Infierno. This climb I place effortlessly at the top when it comes to difficulty. The ultra steep parts follow each other in quick succession in the last kilometers. Especially the strip 'Cuena les Cabres' is murderous. Rarely had to zigzag so to stay in balance. Except a suffering climb is this also terribly beautiful in terms of environment. The trick is to enjoy it while suffering.
El Infierno. Deze beklimming plaats ik moeiteloos helemaal bovenaan als het gaat om lastigheidsgraad. De ultrasteile stukken volgen elkaar in de laatste kilometers erg snel op. Vooral de strook 'Cuena les Cabres' is moordend. Zelden zo moeten zigzaggen om in balans te blijven. Behalve een lijdensweg is deze klim echter ook vreselijk mooi qua omgeving. Het is dan ook de kunst om tijdens het lijden toch nog te genieten.
Without a doubt, the hardest climb I have done. The only reason I travelled to this area was to take on Angliru.
Definite climb of two halves. The first 'easy' section is on good roads, at a fairly steady gradient (around 7％ / 8％), and you're settling in and wondering what the fuss is all about. Then the second section hits and you're smacked in the face almost immediately with the gradient, as well as the change in road surface.
Gone is the nice tarmac and wide road. Now it's narrow, steep and a bumpy surface covered in cow crap!
I like to think that climbs are as difficult as you choose to make them... just vary the effort, pace and gearing. On Angliru, it's is just hard. All the way after the half way point. You need you easiest gearing (my 30 cassette broke and could only use a 28!). If you don't have the right gearing, you will end up stopping and it's almost impossible to get back on and start riding again.
It's steep at every point. And you know you're in for a battle when you see a section where the average is 13％, and you're relieved it's easing off!
As you crest the rise (with some great views behind you) you think you're at the end. Now, the climbing is done, but there is a sort section of easy descent around the mountain that takes you to the car park and the official end of the climb. My mates didn't do this last bit, so technically didn't do the climb !
This is a must.
According to many professional cyclists, this climb is the toughest in current cycling and in the Tour of Spain.
The average gradient of 10,2％ does not reflect the real difficulty of this climb because the first 6 km are barely 7％ uphill. The road in the steep part has been paved especially for the Vuelta because originally it was a goat path or " camino de la cabra " as the Spaniards call it. The infamous part has gradients up to 26,7％ . The goat trail is over 3 km long but from km 6 on you won't get below 13％percentages. Among others, the Spanish Kelme team broke their chase car on it but many professional cyclists also broke their tracks on it. The older cycling fans will remember the images of David Millar who, a few meters before the finish, threw his bike into the abyss in protest against what the Vuelta organizers did to the riders during the first climb of the Angliru in their Tour.
Contador won there 2 times and the last time was during his last stage race and actually last stage of value ever. The most legendary duel was fought between Nibali and Horner in the Vuelta and won by Horner.
The col is often hidden in a layer of fog and the weather is rarely sunny despite the summit being at an altitude of barely 1500m. The nature is rough and very green but so beautiful but the last 6 km you can hardly enjoy it because your tongue hangs between your frame.
If you have climbed this col without dismounting you can take a big compliment and don't forget to mount a trippel at the front otherwise you can forget it, even the pros do this for this climb.
This climb is legendary. Whoever wins here gets eternal fame.
Deze klim is volgens vele profrenners de zwaarste klim die in het huidige wielrennen wordt beklommen en dan in de ronde van Spanje.
Het gemiddelde stijgingspercentage van 10,2％ is hoegenaamd geen beeld van de werkelijke cijfers of beter moeilijkheid van deze klim want de eerste 6 km gaan amper 7％ bergop. Het wegdek in het steile deel is ooit speciaal voor de Vuelta geasfalteerd want oorspronkelijk was het een geitenpad of " camino de la cabra " zoals de Spanjaarden dit noemen. Het beruchte deel bevat stijgingspercentages tot 26,7％ . Weliswaar over enkele tientallen meters maar stijgingspercentages van boven de 20％ kom je regelmatig tegen op het geitenpad dat dik 3 km lang is maar vanaf km 6 kom je niet onder de 13％ . Onder andere de Spaaanse Kelme ploeg heeft er zijn volgwagen op kapot gereden maar ook vele profrenners hebben er zich op stuk gereden . De wat oudere wielerfans herinneren zich vast nog de beelden van David Millar die er enkele meters voor de finish , die nochtans in dalende lijn is , zijn fiets in de afgrond gooide uit protest tegen wat de organisatoren van de Vuelta tijdens de eerste beklimming ooit van De Angliru in hun ronde de renners aandeden.
Contador won er 2 keer en de laatste keer was tijdens zijn laatste rittenwedstrijd en eigenlijk ook laatste rit met waarde ooit. Het meest legendarische duel vochten Nibali en Horner er uit met de Vuelta als inzet en gewonnen doorHorner.
De col ligt dikwijls verscholen in een mistlaag en zelden is het weer er echt zonnig ondanks dat de top op amper 1500 meter hoogte ligt. De natuur is er ruw en zeer groen maar zo mooi maar de laatste 6 km kan je hier moeilijk van genieten want je tong hangt tussen je kader.
Als je deze col beklommen hebt zonder af te stappen mag je een dikke pluim op je hoed steken en vergeet geen trippel te monteren vooraan want anders kan je het vergeten , zelfs de profs doen dit voor deze beklimming.
Deze klim is legendarisch wie hier wint schrijft eeuwige roem.
| 7 km/h | 01:51:21 |
| 11 km/h | 01:10:51 |
| 15 km/h | 00:51:58 |
| 19 km/h | 00:41:01 |
