Korntauern

Overview

Korntauern is a hors catégorie (HC) climb in Austria, and it earns that rating on gradient rather than length. Over just 5.3 km it delivers 721 m of net elevation gain, starting at 1,216 m and topping out at 1,937 m. At an average gradient of 13.58%, this is a short, concentrated effort that stays hard from bottom to top — there is no long valley run-in to hide behind, and you are already climbing at altitude by the time the road pitches up.

The gap between the numbers tells the real story. The net elevation gain is 721 m, but the total ascent is 907 m — a difference of 186 m. That means the road repeatedly gives back height before clawing it back, so you are climbing more than the summit figure suggests. Every metre lost on a brief descent is a metre you re-climb, usually on a steeper ramp. Budget your legs for 907 m of work, not 721 m.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The 13.58% average is punishing on its own, but averages flatten the truth. On an undulating profile like this, the mean sits between short recovery notches and ramps well into the twenties and beyond, peaking at 31.84%. Expect the steepest pitches to feel far harder than the number on paper.

• Brief flatter or shallow sections that let you shift up and breathe — take them, but don't overcook the transition
• Repeated short climbs stacked back to back, each re-earning height lost on the dips
• A steepest ramp near 31.84% where cadence collapses and it becomes a pure strength effort

Pacing Notes

Because Korntauern undulates, even-speed pacing is a trap — holding a fixed speed forces huge power spikes on the steep ramps and wasteful surges you can't sustain. Pace to effort instead, anchoring on your sustainable power output and letting speed rise and fall with the gradient. Ease slightly into the shallow notches to recover, and cap your surges over the steep pitches so you don't blow the top half. If you don't know your threshold number, run the FTP estimator before you go, then ride the whole climb a touch under it.

Gearing

The 31.84% maximum gradient dictates your setup, not the average. On ramps this steep, gearing is what keeps you upright and turning. Run a compact or sub-compact chainset paired with a wide-range cassette — a 34×32 at minimum, and 34×34 if your derailleur allows it. That gives you a bailout gear for the steepest ramp without grinding to a standstill. Check your chainrings, cassette, and rear derailleur capacity before you ride; the wrong ratio here turns a hard climb into a walk.

Summary

• Length: 5.3 km
• Average gradient: 13.58%
• Maximum gradient: 31.84%
• Net elevation gain: 721 m
• Total ascent: 907 m
• Category: HC

Korntauern is a compact, high-altitude HC climb that punishes bad pacing and bad gearing alike. Respect the 907 m of real work, ride to effort, and bring a low enough gear for the 31.84% ramp — do that, and 5.3 km of steep road becomes a memorable summit rather than a survival slog.