Karabieta

Overview

Karabieta is a category 2 climb that rewards patience over fireworks. Across 11.7 km it averages a moderate 4.4%, carrying you from a low start at 49 m up to a summit of 563 m. That works out to 514 m of net elevation gain, with the recorded total ascent sitting at 504 m — a near-continuous drag rather than a series of hills. The average number tells only part of the story, though: the gradient spikes to 12.68% at its steepest, so this is a climb you meter out carefully rather than one you attack from the bottom.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The math is worth sitting with. An 11.7 km climb at 4.4% is long enough that the effort accumulates, but shallow enough on average that you never settle into a single rhythm. The gap between the 4.4% average and the 12.68% maximum is the defining feature here — roughly a tripling of gradient at the worst pitch. That means the climb is uneven: stretches noticeably gentler than 4.4% must exist to balance out the ramps that touch double digits. Expect to shift up and roll on the flatter sections, then drop several gears when the road tilts toward that 12.68% wall. With 514 m to gain overall, the steep pitches are where most of your vertical work gets done, even though they occupy a small share of the distance.

Pacing Notes

On a climb this long, the temptation is to chase the flatter early kilometres and pay for it later. Resist it. Anchor your effort to your FTP and hold a steady output across the shallower ground, keeping a reserve for the 12.68% ramp so you can absorb it without blowing up. On the sub-4.4% sections, let your speed rise while your power stays honest — that is free time you bank against the steep bits. If you don't know your sustainable number yet, run a quick check through the FTP estimator before you commit to a target. At 11.7 km, an over-cooked first third turns the final ramp into damage control.

Gearing

The 4.4% average is manageable on almost any road setup, but the 12.68% maximum is what dictates your cassette. On a compact chainring, a 34×32 is the sensible baseline and will get most riders over the steep pitch with cadence intact. If you tend to grind, spin below 70 rpm on ramps, or you're tackling Karabieta at the end of a long day, size up to a 34×34 — the extra sprocket keeps your legs turning through that 12.68% section instead of forcing a muscular, cadence-crushing slog. Given the 514 m of climbing, protecting your legs early with easier gearing pays dividends on the upper slopes.

Summary

Karabieta is a long, uneven category 2 test: gentle on average, genuinely steep at its worst. Pace to your FTP, gear for the 12.68% ramp with a 34×32 or 34×34, and let the flatter kilometres do you a favour.

Length: 11.7 km
Average gradient: 4.4%
Max gradient: 12.68%
Start: 49 m
Summit: 563 m
Net gain: 514 m
Total ascent: 504 m
Category: 2