A short, savage climb through the Serra del Maigmó above Castalla, Xorret de Catí has become one of Spanish cycling’s most feared walls despite its modest length.
A short climb, brutally steep
From Castalla, it’s just 3.8 km for 444 m of elevation gain, averaging 11.6% with ramps exceeding 20% near the top. The summit sits at around 1,097 m, reached after a relentless final stretch through the pine-covered slopes of the Maigmó mountains.
The climb that launched José María Jiménez
Xorret de Catí first appeared in the Vuelta a España in 1998, when José María “Chava” Jiménez won the summit finish — the first of four stage victories that season, which carried him to third overall and cemented his reputation as one of the era’s purest climbers.
Getting the ride right
There’s no settling into a rhythm here — a compact or triple chainset and a willingness to ride out of the saddle on the steepest ramps make far more difference than raw fitness alone.
When to go
Rideable year-round thanks to the mild Mediterranean climate, though spring and autumn are more comfortable than the summer heat on this exposed, treeless finish.
Good to know
Castalla, the starting town, sits below a well-preserved medieval castle worth a visit, while the climb itself is commemorated by a cycling sculpture near the summit honouring its place in Vuelta history.
