Laussnitzhöhe

Overview

Laussnitzhöhe is a Category 2 climb in Austria, running 19.5 km from a base at 1031 m to a summit of 1702 m. On paper it reads as a long, moderate ascent: 671 m of net elevation gain spread across nearly 20 kilometres, for an average gradient of 3.44%. Those numbers describe a climb that rewards steady legs over explosive power, and one you settle into rather than attack.

But the profile is not a clean ramp. The total ascent is 1350 m against just 671 m of net gain — a difference of 679 m of climbing that never counts toward your final elevation. That means roughly half of everything you climb, you also give back on descents and false flats along the way. The undulation makes the effort noticeably harder than the 3.44% average implies: you are constantly re-accelerating, and momentum bleeds away every time the road tips down.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The 3.44% average is a statistical fiction here. With that much rolling terrain baked in, the climbing sections are steeper than the average suggests, punctuated by descents that drag the mean down. The steepest recorded ramp reaches into double digits — a sharp pitch that demands a gear in reserve.

• Flatter and recovery sections where the road descends or levels out, dropping the running average
• Repeated short climbs stacked back to back, each one asking you to reset your rhythm
• A steepest ramp well into double-digit gradients — the pitch that dictates your gearing choice

Pacing Notes

On an undulating climb like this, chase even effort, not even speed. Hold a steady sustainable power output through the rollers rather than hammering the rises and coasting the dips. Let your speed rise and fall while your power stays flat — surging on every ramp will torch your legs long before the summit at 1702 m.

Know your numbers before you go. Use the FTP estimator to set a target band, then ride the climbs a touch below threshold and use the descents to recover, not to push.

Gearing

The steepest ramp climbs into double digits, so gear for it. Run a compact (50/34) or sub-compact chainset paired with a wide-range cassette — a 34×32 or 34×34 gives you the low end to spin the sharp pitches without grinding to a standstill. On a 19.5 km climb, protecting your cadence early pays off in the final kilometres. Check your setup before the ride: confirm the cassette and rear derailleur actually handle the largest sprocket you plan to lean on.

Summary

• Length: 19.5 km
• Average gradient: 3.44%
• Net elevation gain: 671 m
• Total ascent: 1350 m
• Category: 2

Laussnitzhöhe is a climb that punishes riders who trust the average. The gentle 3.44% figure masks steep ramps and 679 m of climbing that vanishes into descents. Pace it on effort, gear it for the steepest pitch, and treat the full 1350 m of ascent — not the 671 m net — as the real work of the day.