The height of Gamoniteiru rises to 1.791 meters in the Sierra del Aramo, in the municipality of Quirós. The climb from La Pola de Lena It works the cyclist from below, first along the well-known Cobertoria and then along that narrower and steeper road that leads to the antennas. An average gradient of around 9,7%, over the 15 kilometers of the route, with nearly 1.500 meters of accumulated elevation gain..
The altimetry clearly shows that The climb barely gives you a breakThe road remains demanding for many kilometers, requiring careful pacing and ultimately taking its toll on both the legs and the mind. The difficulty lies not only in the steepest gradients, but also in the sustained effort.
On the Gamoniteiru, it's hard to find a section where you can recover. That's why some cyclists consider it even harder than the Angliru in some aspects. Perhaps because its climb is longer and more sustained, with a final section that reaches gradients of nearly 17%. The last kilometer and a half seems like it will never end..
The scenery rewards the effort. Below: forest and a humid valley. But past the turnoff to The CoveringThe Aramo is laid bare. The protection of the trees disappears and the open, uncompromising limestone mountain appears, with vertical meadows.
Sierra del Aramo
The sharp relief of the Aramo contrasts with the smooth contour of the wisdom teeth that surround it. In the … Read more
Upon reaching the summit, the effort is suddenly rewarded, and the view opens up over a large part of the Central Asturian Mountainswith the valleys of Lena and Quiros stretching out below. On clear days, easily recognizable features of the Asturian landscape can be seen: the silhouette of Oviedo in the background, Monsacro with its unmistakable profile, the limestone peaks of Angliru and La Gamonal, La Mostayal closing the horizon, and the municipality of Riosa nestled among mountains.
But there's more to the summit than just the scenery. There are also the antennas and the technical communications infrastructure, visible from afar and closely linked to the image of Gamoniteiru. The repeaters were installed to provide coverage to central Asturias in the 1960s, with the inauguration of the transmitting center in March 1964.
After his appearance in The 2021 Vuelta, Gamoniteiru and its antenna-covered summit gained a popularity it hadn't previously enjoyed. The victory of the Colombian cyclist Miguel Ángel 'Supermán' López At that stage it put it on the map for many people, and since then more cyclists, motorcyclists, hikers and curious visitors have started to come up to this port.
Gamoniteiru is now a goal shared by many. The El Gamoniteiro Cycling TourHeld in September, this event is designed to transform the mountain pass into a complete experience. It offers a main route of approximately 100 kilometers with 2.600 meters of elevation gain, starting in Quirós and crossing the Trubia Valley, the area around the Alfilorios Reservoir, La Cobertoria, and finishing at the summit of Alto del Gamoniteiro. There is also a shorter option, 30 kilometers with 1.400 meters of elevation gain, which starts from the Ethnographic Museum of Quirós and maintains the essence of the event: climbing La Cobertoria and finishing at Gamoniteiro.
Alfilorios reservoir route
Morcín is surrounded by mountains such as Monsacro, La Mostayal or Llera peakThese guard… Read more
Events like these give greater visibility to a whole rural area of enormous appeal, such as that occupied by the councils of Lena and Quirós, where not only are great cycling routes or high mountain landscapes combined, but also good gastronomy and that simple and selfless hospitality that is so appreciated by those who come from outside.
Lena, a cycling paradise
Asturias lives and breathes cycling. Fans pack the roads during races, founding... Read more
Text: © Ramón Molleda for asturias.com
