Fadner Jöchl - Giogo di Gallina

Overview

Fadner Jöchl - Giogo di Gallina is a hors catégorie (HC) climb, the hardest classification there is — ranked above category 1, 2, 3 and 4. It runs for 17.8 km at an average gradient of 8.81%, lifting you from a start elevation of 860 m to a summit at 2428 m. That is 1568 m of net elevation gain, with 1539 m of total ascent packed into a single sustained effort. This is not a climb that eases you in and rewards patience at the top; it is long, steep, and relentlessly uphill from bottom to summit.

How the Gradient Unfolds

An 8.81% average across 17.8 km tells you most of the story: there are no meaningful flat sections or descents to recover on. With total ascent of 1539 m sitting just below the 1568 m net gain, almost every metre you climb stays climbed — the road effectively never gives anything back. The defining feature is the 21.48% maximum gradient, a wall roughly two and a half times steeper than the average. Ramps like that force a hard, immediate change of rhythm, and on a climb this long they arrive when your legs are already deep into the effort. Expect the grade to swing between merely hard and genuinely brutal, rather than settle into a comfortable steady state.

Pacing Notes

On a climb of this length, pacing discipline matters more than raw strength. Your best defence against the 8.81% average and the 21.48% ramps is riding to a sustainable power target rather than chasing feel. Anchor your effort to your FTP: on an HC climb approaching 18 km, most riders should sit at or just below threshold and hold something in reserve for the steepest pitches, where surging the wattage will cost you dearly later. If you do not have a recent number to work from, run yours through the FTP estimator before you commit to the mountain. Start conservatively — the summit at 2428 m is a long way up, and the second half of a 17.8 km climb is where poor early pacing gets punished.

Gearing

Gear for the steep bits, not the average. With a 21.48% maximum gradient and an 8.81% mean over 17.8 km, you want a wide, low range so you can keep a comfortable cadence rather than grind at low RPM. A compact 34-tooth chainring paired with a 34×32 low gear is a sensible starting point for strong climbers, but on ramps past 20% many riders will be grateful for a 34×34. If your legs or your target pace are in any doubt, err toward the easier 34×34 — spinning a slightly-too-light gear costs you nothing, while running out of gears on a 21.48% pitch can end your rhythm entirely.

Summary

Fadner Jöchl - Giogo di Gallina earns its HC rating honestly: 17.8 km, an 8.81% average, a 21.48% maximum, and 1568 m of net elevation gain from 860 m to 2428 m. Pace it to your FTP, gear low, and respect the length as much as the steepness.

Length: 17.8 km
Average gradient: 8.81%
Max gradient: 21.48%
Start: 860 m
Summit: 2428 m
Net gain: 1568 m
Total ascent: 1539 m
Category: HC