After more than four years of work on the project, the Madrid-based climber places the route at the cutting edge of sport climbing.
The proposal comes after analyzing the line and comparing it with the hardest ascents of his career, which include a dozen routes graded between 9b and 9b+.
Margalef, March 23, 2026 – Spanish climber Jorge Díaz-Rullo has announced a proposed grade of 9c for Café Colombia, following the first ascent of this route located in the Racó de la Finestra sector of Margalef (Tarragona, Spain).
The send, achieved on March 13, marks the end of the longest and most demanding project of his career. Díaz-Rullo began working on the route in autumn 2021, investing 240 days of effort over more than four years until finally solving all its sections.
Café Colombia climbs an overhanging wall of approximately 30 meters, featuring around 40 continuous moves, defined by the technical and demanding style characteristic of Margalef. The climbing unfolds on extended positions, mostly on short two-finger pockets and small holes, where precise footwork is just as crucial as finger strength.
The line was originally bolted on the right side of the wall by Colombian climber Anghelo Bernal and proposes a test of extreme endurance, with scarce rests and uncomfortable positions that require careful energy management throughout the route. The final crux, after a long buildup of fatigue, presents a particularly complex sequence where every move becomes a limit challenge.
“The hardest part for me was how demanding the route is. If my physical level dropped even slightly, I couldn’t do certain moves; if I lost a bit of finger strength, I couldn’t stay on the holds; and if my endurance dropped, linking the sections became impossible. On top of that, the rhythm is so intense that you can’t afford even the slightest mistake,” explains Jorge.
After analyzing the route and comparing it with benchmark ascents at the top level of sport climbing, Díaz-Rullo has decided to propose a grade of 9c, although he acknowledges the difficulty could even be higher.
“The route is extremely hard and pushed me to a level of effort I had never experienced before—nothing comparable to the 9b and 9b+ routes I’ve climbed so far,” Jorge explains. “I feel like it could go beyond 9c, but I don’t have real references to assess it. That’s why I’ve decided to propose 9c—I think it’s the most sensible and honest approach. From there, we’ll have to wait for future repeats, which would really excite me.”
The climber has extensive experience at the highest level, with more than 90 routes climbed in the 9th grade and over a dozen ascents between 9b and 9b+, allowing him to position Café Colombia within that range.
The process behind Café Colombia has been supported closely by his coaches Ekhiotz Alsasua and Pedro Bergua from Sputnik Climbing, key figures in the physical and technical preparation that sustained a project of this magnitude over more than four years.
During this time, Díaz-Rullo has also been supported by the brands that accompany him in his career—Scarpa, Petzl, E9 and Climbskin—as well as by the filmmakers documenting the project—Jaume Cebolla, Adri Martinez and Marco Zanone— and all the people who belayed him during his attempts, including Mariana Fierro on the day of the send.
Beyond the sporting achievement, the ascent of Café Colombia marks the closing of the most important chapter in the Madrid climber’s career, after more than four years dedicated to refining every move of the route and waiting for the right conditions to complete it.
Jorge also wanted to thank his closest circle for their support throughout the process, as well as everyone who followed the project and shared countless messages of admiration and encouragement after the ascent.
Jorge Díaz-Rullo (Madrid, 1999) is one of the most outstanding sport climbers of his generation. With more than 15 years of experience at the highest level, he has climbed some of the hardest routes in the world, including 12 ascents graded 9b or harder. His activity focuses on long-term, high-difficulty projects in some of the most demanding climbing areas on the planet.
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Photo: © Adri Martínez (@mtnz.adri)
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