Haggenegg

Overview

Haggenegg is a hors catégorie (HC) climb in Switzerland, and it earns that rating the hard way. Over 9 km it gains 971 m net, rising from a start elevation of 442 m to a summit of 1,413 m. That works out to a 10.76% average gradient, a figure that puts it firmly among the punishing climbs rather than the merely long ones.

The number to sit with is the gap between the two ascent figures. The route gains 971 m net but records 1,064 m of total ascent — 93 m more. That extra climbing has to be paid for somewhere, which means the road does not rise cleanly. There are pitches where you give back altitude and then reclaim it, so your legs cover more vertical than the summit-minus-start math suggests. Budget for the full 1,064 m, not the 971.

How the Gradient Unfolds

A 10.76% average is already steep, but averages flatten the picture. The 93 m of undulation means the true climbing sections are steeper than 10.76% to compensate for the flatter and downhill stretches folded into the mean. The headline is the maximum: 25.76%, a ramp severe enough to threaten traction and cadence on its own.

Across the profile, expect:

• Short flatter or recovery sections that pull the average down but offer little real rest at this overall pitch
• Repeated short climbs stacked back to back, driven by the undulation between net and total ascent
• A steepest ramp near 25.76% that demands you are already in your lowest gear before it arrives

Pacing Notes

On an undulating HC climb, chasing even speed is a trap — you will spike your effort on every steep pitch and blow up long before the summit. Hold an even effort instead, anchored to your sustainable power output. Let your speed fall away on the ramps toward 25.76% and let it recover on the flatter links, keeping the effort steady throughout.

If you do not know your ceiling, run the numbers first with the FTP estimator. On 9 km at this gradient, pacing 5% too hot in the first kilometre is a mistake you cannot walk back.

Gearing

Gearing here is governed by the steepest ramp, and 25.76% dictates the setup. A compact or sub-compact chainset paired with a wide-range cassette is the minimum sensible choice — think 34×32 or 34×34 to keep your cadence off the floor when the road stands up. Under-gearing on a pitch this steep forces you into grinding, low-cadence surges that wreck the even-effort plan.

Check your setup before the ride. Confirm the actual cassette and chainring on the bike, not what you assume is fitted, and make sure the rear derailleur can handle the largest sprocket.

Summary

• Length: 9 km
• Average gradient: 10.76%
• Maximum gradient: 25.76%
• Net elevation gain: 971 m
• Total ascent: 1,064 m
• Category: HC

Haggenegg is a short climb only on paper. At 10.76% average over 9 km, with an HC rating and ramps to 25.76%, it rewards riders who pace to effort, gear low, and respect the extra 93 m of undulation the profile hides.