Krummbachsattel

Overview

Krummbachsattel is a Category 1 climb in Austria, running 15.6 km from a valley floor at 471 m to a summit at 1,352 m. Over that distance it delivers 881 m of net elevation gain at an average gradient of 5.64%. On paper that average reads as moderate, but the category rating and the length tell you this is a serious, sustained day out rather than a quick effort.

The number that reshapes the whole climb is the gap between net gain and total ascent. You climb 881 m net, but the ride accumulates 1,332 m of total ascent — roughly 451 m of that is climbing you do twice, because it sits above descents you give back along the way. That undulation means you cannot treat the 5.64% average as a steady drip. You will repeatedly climb, lose altitude, and climb again, and the extra 451 m of vertical is real work that the net figure quietly hides.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The 5.64% average is a blend, not a description. With 1,332 m of total ascent packed around an 881 m net gain, the profile clearly rolls, and the steep pitches sit well above the average where the road pinches.

• Flatter and false-flat sections, plus short descents, that pull the average down and let you recover.
• Repeated short climbs that stack up to produce the 451 m of extra ascent beyond the net gain.
• A steepest ramp far harder than the average, where the grade bites and forces a gear change.

Pacing Notes

On an undulating climb like this, chasing an even speed is a trap: holding the same pace up every ramp spikes your power on the steep pitches and burns matches you need later. Instead, pace to an even effort. Anchor your climbing to a target sustainable power output and hold it steady, letting your speed rise on the flatter sections and fall on the ramps. Over 15.6 km with this much repeated climbing, that discipline is what keeps the summit reachable. If you do not know your ceiling, run the FTP estimator before you go and set a number you can actually defend for the full ascent.

Gearing

The steep ramps here govern your setup, not the average. Fit a compact or sub-compact chainset paired with a wide-range cassette — a 34×32 or 34×34 gives you a bailout low gear for the pitches that sit well above 5.64%, so you can spin rather than grind and stall. On a climb with this much repeated ascent, keeping a high cadence protects your legs for the sections still to come. Check your chainring and cassette combination before the ride, not at the bottom of the first steep ramp.

Summary

• Length: 15.6 km
• Average gradient: 5.64%
• Net elevation gain: 881 m
• Total ascent: 1,332 m
• Category: 1

Krummbachsattel is a long Category 1 climb where the modest 5.64% average understates the work: 1,332 m of total ascent against 881 m net means constant undulation. Pace to effort, gear low, and respect the ramps.