La Farrapona pass, already a mythical cycling pass, has been the scene of three stage finishes in the Vuelta Ciclista a España, with victories by Rein Taaramae (2011), Alberto Contador (2014) and David Gaudu (2020), and with its 1,748 m of altitude is one of the highest asphalted points in Asturias. It is one of the hardest and most mediatic mountain passes of the national cycling scene, which thanks to its numbers (18.6 km long and 1,090 m of positive difference in altitude) and its impressive landscapes, will leave its mark on any cyclist who ventures to crown it.

The ascent begins in the vicinity of the La Malva dam (619 m), at the crossroads where the SD-1 road begins (leaving the AS-227 road that would take us to La Pola Somiedo) and goes to the top of La Farrapona. The first kilometers of the ascent run through the closed valley formed by the Saliencia River, passing through the villages of Veigas, Viḷḷarín, Arbichales and Éndriga to reach the village of Saliencia (1,104 m), the last inhabited nucleus of the ascent, after 11 km, 600 m of ascent and some well-deserved rest. Both in the center of the village and in the parking lot that we will leave on our left after passing the village, there are two fountains that, with the one located at km 14, will be the last opportunities to charge water for the last part of the climb.

Leaving the village of Saliencia behind, the second part of this climb begins, which will take us, without any rest, to the top of the Farrapona after the remaining 7 km with a positive difference in altitude of 700m. With a fairly constant slope of around 8-9%, we will leave behind the closed valley of the first part of the ascent, which is now giving way to a more open glacier valley where the landscape joins the pastures and brañas with the high peaks that surround it, making this part of the ascent really impressive and colorful. We will crown the ascent after 18 km and 1,090m of positive difference in altitude, already on the border with the province of León and at the access to the route of the Lakes (PR AS15).