La Morcuera (Rascafría)

Start Town	Altitude	Elevation Gain	Length	Gradient	Difficulty	Rating
Rascafría	1,796m	631m	13.4 km	4.7%	360	***

Climb Description

Puerto de la Morcuera is one of the classic cycling climbs in the Madrid region. It has been used over twenty times in the Vuelta a España, and often comes late in the race making it a potentially decisive climb. Riders to crest the pass first have included Richard Virenque and Dan Martin; however, it is probably most well known for its role in the 2015 edition, when Fabio Aru broke away from Tom Dumoulin to take a decisive overall lead on the penultimate stage of the race.

The climb from Rascafría is steady and quite gentle. It is easy to settle into a comfortable rhythm and will not trouble experienced riders. Like on many of the climbs in the Guadarrama Mountains, the road is lined by trees and so there are few spectacular views; however, it is a pleasant ascent and one of the most enjoyable road climbs in the region.

Puerto de la Morcuera is open throughout the year, subject to weather. Short term closures are common in winter following snow.

Roads & Traffic

The road is in good condition throughout.

There is generally not a lot of traffic on the climb; although it can become quite busy on weekends in summer.

Alternative Routes

La Morcuera can also be climbed from the south, starting in Miraflores de la Sierra.

Nearby Climbs

La Navafría

Puerto de Cotos

Abantos

La Navacerrada

Bola del Mundo

Alto del León

Cycling Holidays

We don't currently run any tours in this part of Spain. If you would be interested in customizing an itinerary to this region, please contact us and we would be happy to discuss the options.

You may also be interested in the links below to some of the mountainous tours that we currently run elsewhere in Spain.