Almwirtsattel

Overview

Almwirtsattel is a Category 2 climb in Austria that runs 6.2 km from base to summit. It starts at 725 m and tops out at 1190 m, for a net elevation gain of 465 m at an average gradient of 7.55%. That average places it firmly in serious-climb territory: sustained enough to hurt, short enough to attack if you have the legs.

The average, though, undersells the work. Against a net gain of 465 m, the road demands 596 m of total ascent — roughly 131 m of extra climbing hidden in the profile. That gap is undulation: sections where the road dips or flattens before pitching up again. Every metre you give back on a descent you re-earn on the next ramp, so the true effort is higher than the net figures suggest. Expect your legs to register the full 596 m, not the tidy 465.

How the Gradient Unfolds

A 7.55% average on a rolling climb means the steep pitches are steeper than the number implies — the flatter recovery sections drag the mean down, so the hard ramps have to be well into the teens to compensate. The headline is a maximum of 21.63%, a wall that will force you out of the saddle if you meet it in the wrong gear.

• Flatter or false-flat recovery sections that let the average settle around 7.55%
• Repeated short climbs stacked back-to-back, driving the extra 131 m of ascent
• A steepest ramp near 21.63% — plan to be in your easiest gear before you hit it

Pacing Notes

On an undulating climb like this, chase even effort, not even speed. Hold a steady sustainable power output through both the flats and the ramps rather than fighting to keep the same pace uphill. Let your speed fall on the 21.63% wall and recover it on the shallower sections — surging to hold speed on the steep bits will cost you far more than it saves. Know your number before you start: run the FTP estimator so you can cap your effort on the ramps and avoid blowing up with kilometres still to climb.

Gearing

The 21.63% maximum is what governs your setup, not the 7.55% average. At that gradient you want a low enough ratio to keep cadence up and stay seated where you can. Fit a compact or sub-compact chainset paired with a wide-range cassette — a 34×32 or 34×34 gives you the bailout gear those pitches demand. Check your drivetrain before the ride; discovering you are over-geared halfway up a 21% ramp is a mistake you only make once.

Summary

• Length: 6.2 km
• Average gradient: 7.55%
• Maximum gradient: 21.63%
• Net elevation gain: 465 m
• Total ascent: 596 m
• Category: 2

Almwirtsattel rewards riders who respect its undulation and gear for its steepest pitch. Pace to power, save an easy gear for the 21.63% ramp, and the extra 131 m of hidden climbing won't catch you out.