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Pico do Arieiro from Água de Pena

SHC
4.0
1 review/story | Elevation profile | 0 photos
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Elevation profile Pico do Arieiro from Água de Pena

Statistics

Difficulty points 1671
Length 15.8 mi
Average gradient 6.9%
Steepest segment 14%
Total ascent 5791 ft

Short recap

15 hairpin turns
#98 toughest climb of World
#84 most elevation gain of Europe
#35 longest climb of Portugal
#55 average steepest climb of Madeira Archipelago
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Pico do Arieiro from Água de Pena is a climb in the region Madeira Island. It is 15.8 mi long and bridges 5791 ft of vertical ascent with an average gradient of 6.9%, resulting in a difficulty score of 1671. The top of the ascent is located at 5886 ft above sea level. Climbfinder users shared 1 review/story of this climb and uploaded 0 photos.

Road names: Estr. Francisco Alvares da Nóbrega (ER239), Estr. Santo António da Serra (ER207), ER102, ER202 & S1

4.0 by JF14
This is an automatic translation, the original language is: Dutch.
What a gruelling climb this is! I have done many of the most famous and difficult climbs in Europe - Galibier, Stelvio, Portet, Mortirolo - but this climb is really nothing compared to it. Don't be fooled by the fact that other climbs of the Pico do Areeiro are even steeper: this climb is really mercilessly steep. With my 82 kg and 36/34 mountain gears on my rental bike, I had to stomp for kilometres at a cadence of less than 60 rotations per minute. The climb is also very irregular, so you... read more

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Reviews (1)

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JF14
JF14
3 y 4.0
This is an automatic translation, the original language is: Dutch. Show original

What a gruelling climb this is! I have done many of the most famous and difficult climbs in Europe - Galibier, Stelvio, Portet, Mortirolo - but this climb is really nothing compared to it. Don't be fooled by the fact that other climbs of the Pico do Areeiro are even steeper: this climb is really mercilessly steep. With my 82 kg and 36/34 mountain gears on my rental bike, I had to stomp for kilometres at a cadence of less than 60 rotations per minute. The climb is also very irregular, so your bike computer goes from 5％ to 20％ and you never get into a good rhythm. Even in the last 10 kilometres, which on paper is a flatter area, you regularly hit double digits in between short descents. By that time, I was so demolished that it was impossible to go uphill. The only plus is that the middle part is between the trees, so (if you start in time) you can get quite some shade. The road surface was in good condition except for short stretches, and the traffic was almost non-existent until the last 6 kilometres. Truly a unique climb to be proud of having conquered, but unless you are a featherweight you should expect hours of exhaustion at an impossibly low cadence.

Wat een lood- maar dan ook echt loodzware beklimming is dit! Ik heb al veel van de bekendste en zwaarste beklimmingen in Europa gedaan - Galibier, Stelvio, Portet, Mortirolo - maar deze klim is echt nergens mee te vergelijken. Laat je niet voor de gek houden door het feit dat andere beklimmingen van de Pico do Areeiro nóg steiler zijn: deze klim is echt ongenadig steil. Met mijn 82 kilo en 36/34 bergverzetje op mijn huurfiets moest ik echt kilometerslang stoempen met een cadans van onder de 60 rotaties per minuut. De klim is ook nog eens heel onregelmatig, dus je fietscomputer schiet van 5％ naar 20％ en je komt nooit lekker in een ritme. Zelfs in de op papier "vlakkere" laatste 10 kilometer tik je tussen korte stukken afdaling nog regelmatig de dubbele cijfers aan. Zelf was ik op dat moment al zo gesloopt dat er van lekker omhoog bollen geen enkele sprake meer was. Enige meevaller is dat het middenstuk tussen de bomen ligt, waardoor je daar (als je een beetje op tijd begint) redelijk wat schaduw kunt pakken. Het wegdek was op korte stroken na in goede staat, en het verkeer was tot de laatste 6 kilometer welhaast niet-bestaand. Echt een unieke klim om trots op te zijn om te hebben geslecht, maar tenzij je een vedergewicht bent moet je rekening houden met een urenlange uitputtingsslag op een onmogelijk lage cadans. Voor de daalliefhebbers is de afdaling richting Monte overigens een absolute aanrader: breed, overzichtelijk, gloednieuw asfalt en weinig verkeer.

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Climbing times

5 mph 03:11:05
7 mph 02:15:16
9 mph 01:45:25
12 mph 01:19:12

Road surface condition

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Traffic

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Frequently Asked Questions

The Pico do Arieiro from Água de Pena is extremely hard. We recommend that you choose the lightest possible gearing, such as a 34-tooth or smaller chainring, combined with a 34-tooth rear cog. Otherwise, there's a good chance you'll need to put a foot down sooner or later. If you think you need to go even lighter, you could consider using a gravel or mountain bike, or installing a gravel or mountain bike derailleur with a rear cog of more than 40 teeth. Good luck!

Pico do Arieiro from Água de Pena falls into the Super Hors Catégorie, the absolute top category. These are the most extreme climbs that exist. Even with excellent fitness, there is a chance you will have to put a foot down. Only the strongest make it to the top without any problems.

Pico do Arieiro from Água de Pena is 15.8 mi long.

The average gradient of Pico do Arieiro from Água de Pena is 6.9%.

Pico do Arieiro from Água de Pena has a steepest segment with an average gradient of 14%.

The summit of Pico do Arieiro from Água de Pena is at 5886 ft.

At a slow pace of 5 mph, it takes about 03:11:05 to climb Pico do Arieiro from Água de Pena. At 7 mph the time is 02:15:16, and at 9 mph 01:45:25. For the fastest cyclists, 01:19:12 is an achievable time.

Pico do Arieiro from Água de Pena is located in the region Madeira Island in Portugal.

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