Alto del Purche

Alto del Purche

Alto del Purche, officially designated as the Collado del Purche, is a mountain pass in the province of Granada, Andalucia, sitting on the western flanks of the Sierra Nevada range. Rising from the town of Monachil at around 800 meters elevation, the road ascends sharply along the Genil valley basin up to the pass at 1,495 meters. The surrounding landscape transitions rapidly from olive groves and rugged limestone ravines near the river gorge into high-altitude alpine scrub land within the boundary of the Sierra Nevada National Park. Because of its geographic position, the ascent functions both as a direct link connecting the Monachil valley to the main A-395 highway toward Pico Veleta and as an early-season gateway into the higher peaks when upper elevations remain impassable due to snow.

In professional racing history, El Purche has carved out a distinct reputation as a decisive springboard in Spanish grand touring. The climb featured prominently as a summit finish in the 2006 Vuelta a España, where Igor Antón claimed victory, and again in the 2013 Vuelta a España, where Chris Horner secured a stage win en route to his overall general classification title. It is frequently utilized in the Vuelta a España as an explosive Category 1 precursor immediately preceding the final haul to the Sierra Nevada ski station, forcing early selection among contenders with its severe central gradients exceeding 9%. Beyond the national Grand Tour, the pass regularly serves as a signature stage highlight in the early-season Vuelta a Andalucía (Ruta del Sol), where riders like Alejandro Valverde have repeatedly taken control of the race on its slopes.