Blauepass

Overview

Blauepass is a long, low-angle ascent that rewards patience over punch. Across its full 18 km it climbs from a start elevation of 251 m to a summit of 816 m, banking 565 m of net elevation gain at an average gradient of just 3.15%. That number tells the honest story: this is a rhythm climb, not a wall. It carries a category 3 rating — a real climb with genuine length, but well short of the category 1 and hors catégorie monsters. The distance is what defines it. Eighteen kilometres is long enough that pacing discipline, not raw power, decides how you feel at the top.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The headline average of 3.15% hides the texture. With a net gain of 565 m but a total ascent of 514 m, the profile clearly includes short flatter or descending stretches that give the legs brief respite before the road tilts up again. This is a rolling, uneven climb rather than a relentless drag. The defining feature is a single sharp ramp that spikes to a maximum gradient of 14.1% — more than four times the average. Everything else sits gently, but that one pitch is where the climb bites. Expect long, spinnable sections bracketed by that abrupt kick, so keep something in reserve rather than burning matches on the shallow early kilometres.

Pacing Notes

On a climb this long and this shallow, your FTP is the number that matters most. The low average means you can, and should, ride most of Blauepass just below threshold, holding a comfortably hard tempo across the full 18 km rather than surging. Save the effort above threshold for the 14.1% ramp, then settle straight back into rhythm once the gradient eases. If you do not know your threshold power yet, run the numbers through the FTP estimator before you set your target — pacing a 565 m net-gain climb by feel alone usually means going out too hard on the flat opening and paying for it later. Aim for an even, repeatable effort that you could sustain for the whole duration.

Gearing

Because Blauepass averages only 3.15%, you will spend most of the climb in comfortable gears — this is not a climb that demands the widest cassette on the market. That said, the 14.1% maximum gradient is steep enough to justify a bailout gear so you are never grinding. A compact 34-tooth inner chainring paired with a 34×32 low is plenty for most riders to spin that ramp cleanly. If you climb at a lower cadence, carry extra weight, or simply want insurance on tired legs, stepping up to 34×34 gives you a touch more room to keep the pedals turning smoothly over the steepest pitch without losing rhythm.

Summary

Blauepass is a long category 3 climb best ridden with even pacing and a relaxed cadence: shallow overall, but with one 14.1% ramp that demands respect. Set your effort by threshold, keep a bailout gear ready, and let the 18 km come to you.

Length: 18 km
Average gradient: 3.15%
Max gradient: 14.1%
Start: 251 m
Summit: 816 m
Net gain: 565 m
Total ascent: 514 m
Category: 3