Kaisereggpass

Overview

Kaisereggpass is a long, punishing Category 1 ascent that unwinds over 28.6 km from a valley floor at 656 m to a summit at 2065 m. On paper the 4.92% average gradient reads as merely rolling, but that number hides the truth of the climb: with a net gain of 1409 m and a total ascent of 1372 m, this is a sustained effort measured in tens of minutes, not seconds. The gentle average is a trap. Buried inside it is a 23.37% maximum ramp that will empty your legs in a single pedal stroke if you meet it unprepared.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The defining feature of Kaisereggpass is the gap between its 4.92% average and its 23.37% peak. A climb this long rarely holds a constant pitch, and here the spread is enormous. Long stretches sit well below the average, giving you rhythm and recovery, only for the road to rear up into ramps that eclipse anything a steady effort can absorb. Note too that the net gain of 1409 m slightly exceeds the total ascent of 1372 m recorded on the way up — a hint that the profile is not perfectly monotonic and that some sections plateau or dip before resuming their march skyward. Read the road ahead, not the average on your computer.

Pacing Notes

Over 28.6 km, discipline wins. Anchor your effort to your FTP and treat the 4.92% average sections as your metronome — a pace you could theoretically hold to the top. The danger is the 23.37% ramps, where power naturally spikes. Let cadence drop and accept a brief surge above threshold, then settle immediately once the grade eases. Going into the red early on a 2065 m summit finish is a mistake you cannot buy back. If you are unsure where your sustainable ceiling sits, run the numbers first with the FTP estimator so your pacing plan reflects reality rather than optimism.

Gearing

Gear for the ramps, not the average. The 4.92% mean is manageable on almost any setup, but the 23.37% maximum demands range you will be grateful for after 1400-plus metres of climbing. A compact 34-tooth chainring paired with a wide cassette is the sensible baseline: 34×32 gives most riders enough to survive the steepest pitches with legs already deep into a 1409 m ascent. If you climb at a lower cadence, run heavier, or simply want insurance for the 23.37% wall near the end, step up to 34×34. The extra sprockets cost nothing on the flatter stretches and buy you a spinning gear precisely when the road turns cruel.

Summary

Kaisereggpass rewards patience and punishes bravado. Meter out your 28.6 km at a rhythm your FTP can defend, save something for the 23.37% ramps, and let low gearing carry you the final metres to 2065 m.

Length: 28.6 km
Average gradient: 4.92%
Max gradient: 23.37%
Start: 656 m
Summit: 2065 m
Net gain: 1409 m
Total ascent: 1372 m
Category: 1