Navacerrada (Collado Villalba)

Climb Description

Navacerrada is one of the most commonly used climbs in the Vuelta a España, set conveniently close to Madrid in the Sierra de Guadarrama mountains. Its proximity to the capital means that it is popular with cyclists; however, it is not one of our favourite climbs.

The main problem is the high volume of traffic throughout the climb; however, it is also nothing special in terms of scenery, with any views largely obscured by thick forest. The road is also very wide which makes it slightly soulless.

For all its faults though, the Navacerrada is popular and is an important climb in cycling history, so if you don't mind sharing the road with a lot of cars, by all means give it a go. If you do tackle the Navacerrada, then it is well worth turning right at the top and continuing the climb on the brutal slopes to Bola del Mundo.

Navacerrada is a ski resort and so the road is kept open throughout the year. However, bear in mind that the climb is even busier with traffic during the winter than in the summer!

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Roads & Traffic