Ällgäuwlicka

Overview

Ällgäuwlicka is a Category 1 climb in Switzerland, running 32.2 km from a valley floor at 564 m to a summit of 1,927 m. On paper it is a net elevation gain of 1,363 m, which frames it as a long, sustained haul rather than a short, brutal wall. The length alone puts it in the territory of an hour or more of continuous climbing for most riders.

But net gain undersells the workload. The total ascent is 2,643 m — roughly 1,280 m more than the net figure. That gap means the road repeatedly drops and climbs again on its way up, so you are paying for far more vertical than the summit-minus-start math suggests. Treat this as an undulating profile, not a smooth ramp, and budget your energy accordingly.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The 4.23% average is a poor guide to what your legs will feel. Averages flatten the descents and the steep pitches into one misleading number; on a climb with this much undulation, long stretches sit below the average while short ramps spike well above it. The steepest recorded pitch reaches 33.61%, so there are sections where you will be out of the saddle regardless of fitness.

• Flatter and recovery sections where the road eases or briefly descends — use them to eat, drink, and reset your breathing
• Repeated short climbs that stack up to the extra 1,280 m of ascent over the net gain
• At least one severe ramp near 33.61%, far steeper than anything the average hints at

Pacing Notes

On a smooth climb you can hold even effort and even speed at once. Here you cannot. The undulation forces a choice, and even effort wins: hold a steady target on the climbs, let your speed rise freely on the descents, and never chase a fixed pace up the ramps. Pin your target to your sustainable power output rather than to the clock. If you do not know that number, run the FTP estimator before you go, then ride the steep pitches a touch under it so you have something left for the next kick.

Gearing

The 33.61% maximum dictates your setup, not the gentle average. Fit a compact or sub-compact chainset and a wide-range cassette — a 34×32 or 34×34 gives you a bailout gear for the severe ramps and keeps your cadence up when the road spikes. Check your chainset and cassette before the ride; discovering you are over-geared partway up a 30%-plus wall is not a mistake you can fix on the road.

Summary

• Length: 32.2 km
• Average gradient: 4.23%
• Maximum gradient: 33.61%
• Net elevation gain: 1,363 m
• Total ascent: 2,643 m
• Category: 1

Ällgäuwlicka rewards riders who respect its undulation. Pace to power, gear for the steepest ramp, and let the descents be recovery rather than lost time.