Michaelskreuz

Overview

Michaelskreuz is a short, steep Swiss ascent that packs a serious punch into a compact 4.1 km. From a start elevation of 437 m, the road climbs to a summit at 780 m — a net gain of 343 m over a distance where there is nowhere to hide. The average gradient of 8.29% tells you most of the story: this is not a climb that eases you in and lets you settle. It is a sustained effort from bottom to top, the kind of category 2 climb that rewards riders who can hold power for the better part of twenty minutes rather than those who rely on a big finishing kick.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The defining feature here is consistency at a high level. With a 4.1 km length and 343 m of net gain, the slope rarely relents below its 8.29% average for long. The steepest recorded pitch hits 12.75%, roughly half again as steep as the average, so expect ramps that sharply raise your heart rate and force you out of any comfortable rhythm. Because the total ascent of 323 m sits close to the net gain of 343 m, there is very little false-flat or descending recovery built into this climb — nearly all of your upward progress is earned on genuine gradient. Plan for the double-digit sections to arrive without much warning and to demand a real change of gear.

Pacing Notes

On a climb this short and steep, pacing is about restraint early and commitment late. A useful anchor is your FTP — the sustained power you can hold for roughly an hour. Riding the first kilometre slightly under threshold leaves you the headroom to absorb the 12.75% ramps without redlining. If you do not know your number, run the numbers through the FTP estimator before you go, then treat the steepest pitches as brief surges above threshold rather than a reason to blow apart your rhythm. The whole effort should feel like a controlled burn: hard, but sustainable to the 780 m summit.

Gearing

An 8.29% average with kicks to 12.75% argues strongly for compact gearing and a wide-range cassette. A 34×32 lowest gear is the sensible baseline for a fit rider who can turn a moderate cadence under load — it will carry you through the average sections comfortably. But if you want to keep your legs spinning on the 12.75% ramps rather than grinding, step up to a 34×34. That extra sprocket makes a real difference across 343 m of near-continuous climbing, protecting your knees and keeping cadence high when the road tilts up hardest.

Summary

Michaelskreuz is a concentrated test: 4.1 km of honest, sustained steepness with no filler. Come with compact gearing, a paced first kilometre, and respect for the 12.75% ramps, and this category 2 climb is thoroughly rewarding.

Length: 4.1 km
Average gradient: 8.29%
Max gradient: 12.75%
Start: 437 m
Summit: 780 m
Net gain: 343 m
Total ascent: 323 m
Category: 2