Jöriflüelafurgga

Overview

Jöriflüelafurgga is a Category 2 climb in Switzerland, running 10 km from a start elevation of 1,553 m to a summit at 2,162 m. Over that distance it delivers a net elevation gain of 609 m at an average gradient of 6.12%. That average places it firmly in the sustained-effort bracket: long enough to matter, steep enough to punish a bad start, but not so relentless that it becomes a pure grind from the first pedal stroke.

The number to watch is the gap between net gain and total ascent. You climb 609 m in net terms, but the total ascent is 919 m — an extra 310 m of climbing hidden inside descents and rollers along the way. That undulation means the road gives back and takes again repeatedly. Every metre you coast down, you re-earn. Plan your effort around 919 m of actual work, not the tidier 609 m headline figure.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The 6.12% average is an accountant's summary, not a description of the road. With 310 m of "extra" ascent baked in, the profile clearly rolls: flatter and descending sections drag the mean down, which means the climbing pitches must run well above 6% to compensate. The steepest ramp hits 19.88% — a wall that will spike your power and empty your legs if you arrive at it already redlined.

• Recovery zones: short flatter or descending stretches where the average dips well below 6%
• Repeated short climbs: rollers that reset your rhythm and force repeated surges out of the saddle
• The steepest ramp: a pitch touching 19.88%, the single hardest point on the climb

Pacing Notes

On an undulating climb like this, even-speed pacing is a trap — holding a constant speed forces you to overspend on every ramp and coast away free watts on the descents. Pace to even effort instead. Anchor your climbing sections just below your sustainable power output, let speed rise on the shallow bits, and resist the urge to hammer the 19.88% ramp any harder than the gradient already demands. If you don't know your threshold, run the FTP estimator before you go so your target numbers are real, not guessed.

Gearing

The 19.88% maximum gradient governs your gearing choice, not the average. At that pitch, a standard compact can leave you grinding at a cadence that wrecks your legs for the rest of the climb. Fit a compact or sub-compact chainset paired with a wide-range cassette — think 34×32 or 34×34 — so you keep a spinnable cadence on the steepest ramp. Check your setup before the ride; discovering you're over-geared halfway up a 19.88% wall is not the place to learn.

Summary

• Length: 10 km
• Average gradient: 6.12%
• Maximum gradient: 19.88%
• Net elevation gain: 609 m
• Total ascent: 919 m
• Category: 2

Jöriflüelafurgga rewards riders who read the whole profile, not just the average. Pace to effort, gear for the 19.88% ramp, and account for all 919 m of ascent — do that, and the summit at 2,162 m arrives on your terms.