Latschüelfurgga

Overview

Latschüelfurgga is a Category 1 climb in Switzerland, running 11.7 km from a start elevation of 1,460 m to a summit at 2,400 m. Over that distance it delivers a net elevation gain of 940 m at an average gradient of 8.06%. That places it firmly in serious mountain territory: long enough to require real pacing discipline, and steep enough on average that there is nowhere to hide once the road tilts up.

The number that reframes this climb is the gap between net gain and total ascent. You gain 940 m of altitude, but you actually climb 1,145 m — a difference of 205 m spent on ups that you promptly give back on downs. That undulation means the effort is not a smooth, single grind. You do 22% more vertical work than the raw summit figure suggests, and every metre you lose on a descent has to be re-earned. Budget your energy for 1,145 m of climbing, not 940 m.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The 8.06% average is a blend, not a constant. With 205 m of hidden re-climbing baked in, stretches sit well below average while others spike far above it to keep the mean where it is.

• Flatter and recovery sections where the road briefly eases or drops, giving the 205 m of "lost" elevation back
• Repeated short climbs that follow those dips — punchy re-ascents that reset your legs each time
• The steepest ramp, noticeably harder than the 8.06% average, where holding wheels or momentum becomes the whole task

Read the road ahead rather than the average. The undulation rewards riders who anticipate the next pitch instead of reacting to it.

Pacing Notes

On an undulating climb like this, chase even effort, not even speed. Holding a fixed pace means overcooking the steep ramps and coasting the flatter sections — exactly backwards. Instead, anchor your climb to your sustainable power output and let speed rise and fall with the gradient. Ease slightly under threshold on the recovery dips so you have headroom for the re-climbs, then hold steady through the ramps.

If you do not know your ceiling, run the numbers through the FTP estimator before you commit to a target. Over 11.7 km with 1,145 m of total ascent, a pacing error in the first third compounds badly by the summit.

Gearing

With an average of 8.06% sustained across 11.7 km and steeper ramps stacked on top, gear for the pitches, not the mean. A compact (50/34) or sub-compact chainset paired with a wide-range cassette — something like 34×32 or 34×34 — keeps your cadence up when the road bites. The goal is to spin the steep sections rather than grind them into your legs early. Check your actual setup before the ride; the wrong cassette here turns a manageable climb into a slow-cadence survival effort.

Summary

• Length: 11.7 km
• Average gradient: 8.06%
• Net elevation gain: 940 m
• Total ascent: 1,145 m
• Category: 1

Latschüelfurgga is a genuine Category 1 test: 11.7 km, 8.06% on average, and 1,145 m of total ascent for only 940 m of net gain. Pace it by effort, gear it for the steep ramps, and respect the undulation — the extra 205 m of climbing is where riders who paced by speed come undone.