Hoheneck

Overview

Hoheneck is a Category 1 climb in Austria, running 9.3 km from a valley start at 680 m to a summit at 1311 m. On paper it is a straightforward ascent: 631 m of net elevation gain spread across those 9.3 km, averaging 6.75%. That places it firmly in the sustained-effort bracket where a rider will spend the better part of half an hour to an hour under load, depending on fitness and conditions.

The figure that reshapes the effort is total ascent. You gain 631 m net, but you actually climb 774 m — a 143 m gap. That difference is undulation: the road gives back roughly 143 m of descent that you then have to re-earn. Every metre lost to a dip is a metre you pay for twice. The climb is harder than its net profile suggests, and the average gradient understates the demands of its steeper working sections.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The 6.75% average is an accounting figure, not a riding experience. Because 143 m of the ascent is undulation, the flatter and descending stretches drag the mean down — which means the pitches that actually climb sit well above 6.75%. Expect the road to alternate between grind and brief relief rather than settling into one steady wall.

• Flatter or descending recovery sections that lower the average and let you reset
• Repeated short climbs where you re-earn elevation lost in the dips
• Steeper working ramps that carry gradients above the 6.75% mean

Pacing Notes

On a smooth climb you can pace by even effort and let speed float. Hoheneck's undulation breaks that logic. Hold a steady sustainable power output through the climbing pitches, but resist the urge to hammer over the crest of each roller — ease slightly into the descents and let momentum carry you, rather than spiking your power to hold speed on ground that is giving elevation back. Even-effort pacing will beat even-speed pacing here because the terrain constantly changes underfoot. If you do not know your ceiling, run the FTP estimator first and set your target below it so the repeated re-climbs do not empty you before the summit.

Gearing

At 9.3 km averaging 6.75% with steeper working ramps, you want a compact or sub-compact chainset paired with a wide-range cassette — think 34×32 or 34×34. The repeated re-climbs punish a heavy bottom gear because you hit them fatigued. Confirm your chainrings and cassette before the ride; swapping a cassette in the car park is not a plan.

Summary

• Length: 9.3 km
• Average gradient: 6.75%
• Net elevation gain: 631 m
• Total ascent: 774 m
• Category: 1

Hoheneck rewards riders who read the total ascent, not just the net gain. Pace by effort, gear for the steep ramps, and treat the 143 m of undulation as the climb's true test.