Kopaonik

Overview

Kopaonik is a Category 1 climb that rewards patience over fireworks. Across 13.6 km it averages 6.03%, lifting you from a start elevation of 989 m to a summit at 1811 m. That is a net gain of 822 m, with 836 m of total ascent once the handful of small dips and recoveries are added back in. The gap between those two figures is small — just 14 m — which tells you almost everything about the character of this ascent: it climbs, and it keeps climbing, with very little given back along the way.

At 13.6 km it is long enough to demand real discipline but never crosses into hors catégorie territory. The max gradient tops out at 11%, so there are teeth here, but the story is the relentlessness of the average rather than any single wall.

How the Gradient Unfolds

With a 6.03% average and an 11% maximum, Kopaonik is a climb of ramps rather than cliffs. Do the arithmetic and the peak pitch sits just under 5 percentage points above the average — a meaningful spike, but one that arrives in bursts you can see coming rather than as a sustained brutal slab.

Because total ascent (836 m) exceeds net gain (822 m) by only 14 m, you should expect almost no genuine descending. The gradient breathes between roughly the average and its 11% ceiling: stretches that sit near 6% strung together by steeper kickers. Ride the whole 13.6 km as one continuous effort and let the steeper ramps register as brief accelerations of your legs, not of your pace.

Pacing Notes

This is a climb best metered by numbers. Anchor your effort to your FTP and hold something sustainable for the full 13.6 km — the length means an early overreach on an 11% ramp will cost you dearly over the remaining kilometres. Because the average is a fairly even 6.03%, a steady power target works better here than a surge-and-recover strategy.

If you are unsure what wattage you can defend for a climb of this duration, run your recent efforts through the FTP estimator first, then set a ceiling and refuse to exceed it on the steep pitches. Treat the 11% sections as places to hold power steady while letting cadence drop, rather than as invitations to attack.

Gearing

For 13.6 km averaging 6.03% with pitches to 11%, gear for spinning, not grinding. A compact 34-tooth chainring paired with a 34×32 low gear covers most riders comfortably on the steeper ramps. If you climb at lower cadence, weigh a heavier bike, or simply want insurance for the 11% sections late in a long effort, step down to 34×34 — the extra range keeps your legs turning over when fatigue makes the average feel steeper than it reads.

Summary

Kopaonik is a long, consistent Category 1 climb that pays out to riders who pace evenly and gear low. With almost no respite across 13.6 km and a summit at 1811 m, it is a test of sustained tempo more than explosive power.

Length: 13.6 km
Average gradient: 6.03%
Max gradient: 11%
Start: 989 m
Summit: 1811 m
Net gain: 822 m
Total ascent: 836 m
Category: 1