Santuari de la Mare de Déu del Mont: Cycling Climb

The climb · Spain

About Santuari de la Mare de Déu del Mont

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Simon Warren’s 100 Greatest Cycling Climbs of Spain

This climb begins almost without ceremony, rolling gently through Catalan countryside before you realise the road has quietly committed you to something much more serious. The gradient never shouts at you early on, but it keeps asking for patience, encouraging you to settle into a rhythm and ignore the distance still to come. It feels like a climb that wants to be respected rather than attacked.

As you rise above the villages, the road narrows and the air cools, and the sanctuary itself becomes a distant promise rather than a clear target. The steeper ramps arrive in waves, just enough to sting the legs and remind you not to drift mentally. Each bend offers a wider view, and with it, a reminder that you are steadily earning your height.

At the top, the sense of isolation is complete. This isn’t a climb that leaves you broken, but one that quietly empties you. It rewards restraint, and if you ride it well, you’ll finish feeling satisfied rather than triumphant – which somehow feels exactly right.

01 / The ascent

Elevation profile

Start 198 m · Summit 1,123 m

Gradient by distance17.88 km / 952 m gain

0 km3.6 km7.2 km10.7 km14.3 km17.9 km

02 / The crux

Where it gets difficult

Choose a distance to find the steepest continuous section of the climb.

Steepest 500 m average

11.2%

Where to find it

15.30–15.80 km from start

Net height gained: 56 m
Section length: 500 m

The whole climb17.88 km

0 kmFinish

03 / The numbers

Climb statistics

Distance: 17.88 km
Elevation gain: 952 m
Average gradient: 5.2%
Climb category: HC
Start elevation: 198 m
Summit elevation: 1,123 m

Current weather

At the climb start

Loading weather…

Weather data: MET Norway

04 / Your effort

How long would it take?

Enter the power you could hold for the whole climb. We calculate a moving time from the elevation profile and the forces you ride against.

Sustained power

W/kg

Use your intended climbing effort, rather than FTP unless you can hold it for the predicted duration.

Rider weight (kg)

Bike + kit weight (kg)

Bike + kit includes clothing, bottles and luggage.

Advanced settings

Defaults represent a road-bike scenario. Adjust these settings to match your tyres, drivetrain and riding position.

Effective drag area (CdA) (m²)

Rolling resistance (Crr)

Drivetrain efficiency (%)

Modelled moving time

1 h 12 min

Power throughout: 225 W
Average speed: 14.9 km/h

Based on the 17.88 km elevation profile. Assumes steady power, with no stops, braking or drafting. Rounded to the nearest minute.

The science behind the calculation

For each part of the stored profile, we solve the steady-state cycling power equation for speed, then add distance ÷ speed across the climb. Gravity uses rider + equipment weight; available power is W/kg × rider weight. This uses the profile’s distance and elevation together, without mixing in another route’s metrics.

Power × efficiency = gravity + rolling resistance + air resistance + bearing losses

The resistance equations are adapted from Martin et al. (1998), Validation of a Mathematical Model for Road Cycling Power. Air density changes with profile altitude using NASA’s standard-atmosphere model. This calculator’s adaptation has not been independently validated.

It predicts travel at the power you enter, including on descents. It does not model acceleration, cornering, braking, traffic, wind, changing weather or fatigue. At altitude, choose power you can sustain there: thinner air reduces drag, but this model does not predict its effect on your ability to produce power. Profile quality and assumed equipment settings also affect the result.

05 / On the ground