Chriegalppass

Overview

Chriegalppass is a compact but serious high-mountain climb: 6.2 km of road that lifts you 424 m from a start elevation of 1841 m to a summit at 2265 m. That gives an average gradient of 6.81%, firmly in category 2 territory — harder than a category 3 tempo effort, but short of the sustained brutality of a category 1 or hors catégorie giant.

What makes this climb distinctive is where it begins. You start at 1841 m, already high enough that the air is thinner than most riders are used to, and you finish above 2265 m. Every watt costs a little more up here, and the 6.2 km distance means there is nowhere to hide: this is a climb you commit to from the first pedal stroke.

How the Gradient Unfolds

At 6.81% average over 6.2 km, Chriegalppass is a consistent, honest gradient rather than a wildly punchy one. Think of it as a steady 6–7% grind for the full distance. Over 6.2 km that adds up to the 424 m of net elevation gain quickly — this is not a climb that eases you in with flat kilometres.

One number worth reading closely: the total ascent is 894 m, while the net gain is only 424 m. The difference — 470 m — tells you the profile is not a clean, monotonic ramp. There is descending and re-climbing folded into those 6.2 km, meaning short pitches that dip and then kick back up. Expect to lose rhythm in places and to re-attack short risers rather than settle into one metronomic cadence the whole way.

Pacing Notes

For a climb of this length and gradient, your effort should sit right around threshold. Riding just below or at your FTP for the full 6.2 km is the target — long enough to matter, short enough that you should not be soft-pedalling the lower slopes.

If you do not know your threshold number, run it through the FTP estimator before you go, then hold that power steady. Remember the altitude: starting at 1841 m and topping out at 2265 m means your sustainable power will be measurably lower than at sea level, so pace by feel and breathing as much as by the number. The rolling 470 m of extra ascent means you will need to surge over the risers without redlining — bank nothing early, because there is no long flat recovery before the 2265 m summit.

Gearing

With a 6.81% average and pitches that kick above that on the re-climbs, gear for comfort, not ego. A compact chainring paired with a wide-range cassette is the right call here. A 34×32 will get most fit riders up the steady sections cleanly, but given the altitude and the extra 470 m of climbing hidden in the profile, a 34×34 is the smarter choice — that lowest gear lets you spin the steep risers near 2265 m without grinding your legs into the ground. If your bike can take it, err toward the easier ratio.

Summary

Chriegalppass is a short, high, honest category 2 climb: 6.2 km at 6.81%, gaining 424 m to a 2265 m summit, with a rolling profile that packs 894 m of total ascent into the effort. Pace it at threshold, gear low, and respect the thin air.

Length: 6.2 km
Average gradient: 6.81%
Max gradient: n/a
Start: 1841 m
Summit: 2265 m
Net gain: 424 m
Total ascent: 894 m
Category: 2