Jungnyeong

Overview

Jungnyeong is a Category 1 climb that never really lets you settle. Over 7.6 km it averages 7.97%, lifting you from a start elevation of 189 m to a summit at 794 m. That works out to 605 m of net gain, with 580 m of total ascent packed into a climb that rarely dips toward the flat. The 16.68% max gradient tells you the story: this is not a steady drag but a road that punches well above its already-stiff average. Riders who respect the number early are rewarded; those who don't tend to unravel in the final third.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The math sets the tone. A 7.97% average across 7.6 km means there is almost nowhere to freewheel and recover. With a 16.68% max, the steepest ramps sit more than 8 points above the average, so expect the gradient to swing hard around a mean that is already punishing. The gap between the 605 m net gain and the 580 m of total ascent is small, which confirms the road climbs almost continuously with very little give-back. Practically, that means the pitches that spike toward 16.68% arrive on top of legs that never got a true rest. Break the effort into thirds: an opening where the grade bites immediately, a relentless middle that holds near the average, and the sharpest ramps as you close on the 794 m summit.

Pacing Notes

On a climb this steep, pacing is everything. Anchor your effort to your FTP and hold a wattage you can sustain for the full 7.6 km rather than the first kilometre. If you don't know your number, run the FTP estimator before you attempt it. The trap on Jungnyeong is the 7.97% average: it is high enough that even a small over-effort compounds quickly, and the 16.68% ramps will find anyone who started in the red. Aim to sit just under threshold on the sustained sections and let your power drift up only on the steepest pitches, where speed drops and staying seated becomes hard anyway. Given the 605 m you have to gain, patience early buys you the legs to survive the top.

Gearing

Steep and long is the worst combination for gearing, so err generous. For most riders a compact 34-tooth chainring paired with a wide cassette is the sensible baseline. A 34×32 will get many trained climbers up the sustained 7.97% sections, but on the 16.68% ramps late in the climb — after 605 m of accumulated gain — a 34×34 gives you the extra spin room to keep cadence out of the grinding zone. If your bike accepts it, the 34×34 is the safer choice here; the penalty for over-gearing on a Category 1 wall is a blown effort, not a heroic one.

Summary

Jungnyeong is a genuine Category 1 test: short enough to attack, steep enough to punish, and unrelenting from bottom to top. Fuel it with honest pacing and low gearing and the 794 m summit is very reachable.

Length: 7.6 km
Average gradient: 7.97%
Max gradient: 16.68%
Start: 189 m
Summit: 794 m
Net gain: 605 m
Total ascent: 580 m
Category: 1