4 min read Spain Winter/Spring 2026

Day 9: Llugar de Riba (The Big Day!)

Every now and again you do something that you know will live long in the memory. Today was one such day, because today I climbed the Angrilu.

Now the Angrilu is renowned for being one of the hardest cycle climbs in professional cycling and it often features in the Vuelta (Spain's equivalent to the Tour de France, and Italy's Giro).

The climb stats are:

  • Start: La Vega
  • Length: 12.6 Kilometres
  • Average gradient: 10.1%
  • Maximum gradient: 23.5%
  • Total elevation gain: 1,266 metres
  • Summit elevation: 1,573 metres

Basically the climb can be broken down into three sections:

  • First 5 kilometres: has an average gradient of approximately 7.6%;
  • Middle Section: provides a brief respite for about a kilometre, where the gradient drops to approximately 2%; and the
  • Final 6.5 kkilometres: where the average gradient increases to approximately 13% for the remainder of the climb.

Here's Climbfinders' gradient profile (note the numerous steep ramps!:

Well, I new it was going to be a hard climb. So, my plan of attack was to take it easy: the goal was to get to the summit without having to walk the bike! I could stop to take photographs, but not stop and walk up the climb. Indeed, I was going to stop and take a photo of an "info sign", similar to these ...

  Image 1  Image 2 
 

... which indicated the gradient was about to increase to 23.5% (almost 1:4), but it was already very steep and, I was concerned that if I did stop to take the photo I may not be able to restart!

Soon after I started the climb I came across these words of encouragement ...

... thank you, whomever you are!

The first milestone was reaching Viapará:

But then I encountered this sign:

Sod that, I thought, I've come this far, let's see how far I can get!

So I set off and eventually arrived here:

Indicating to me that the toughest section of climbing was about to be encountered, especially the 23.5% ramp!

Photo stop (in my younger days I didn't even allow myself to stop on a climb: it was all in one go or not at all! Now I'm old, and not so bold ... I'm just about bald!):

250 metres where the minimum gradient is 14.7 and the maximum is 19.9!

Almost there, but first, another sign to photograph:

And finally ... the summit! Phew, I made it ... even though it was closed!

A view from the car park!

And four faces of a polyhedron, in two two-dimensional photographs:

  Image 1  Image 2 
 

The climbing was hard, but worse was to come. Usually, I enjoy descending. However, the steepness of the descent, combined with a narrow road and many a hairpin corner, required too much use of the brakes for my liking. Indeed, I think it is the first time I've wished I had hydraulic rather than mechanical brakes. So it goes!

Anyway, the main thing is I got down safely and was able to enjoy a mixed bag of riding back to the van. Towards the end of the ride I partially crossed a bridge so that I could take I photo of the bridge I previously crossed about 5 minutes beforehand:

It was a hard ride, but I very much enjoyed it.

By the time I arrived back at the van, I'd ridden exactly 63 kilometres! Amazingly, 63 is how old I became today! What a coincidence!!!

This is definitely a birthday that I shall remember into my old age (when ever it eventually arrives!). Happy days, and a very good birthday ride.

Addendum: Stupid me! I'm not 63 years old! I am pleased to report that I am in fact: 62! And I feel so much younger now that my error has kindly been brought to my attention. The worrying thing is, I made a similar mistake some years ago!

Also, yesterday I rode one more kilometre than I needed to: Let's just consider it a dress rehearsal for next year!

  • Distance driven: 78 miles
  • Distance cycled: 63 kilometres
  • Weather:-
    • General conditions: Sunshine and clouds of varying degrees.
    • Temperature: About 16°C to 20°C.
    • Wind (Beaufort): Mostly light to gentle breeze.
  • Location: Google Maps

Today's route: