Nasskamm

Overview

Nasskamm is a Category 2 climb in Austria, running 7.4 km from a start elevation of 726 m to a summit at 1217 m. Over that distance it delivers a net elevation gain of 491 m at an average gradient of 6.61%, putting it firmly in the range where fitness and pacing matter more than raw power spikes.

The number to watch is the gap between net gain and total ascent. While you climb 491 m net, the total ascent is 697 m — roughly 206 m of that is re-climbing after short descents or flatter dips along the way. That undulation means your legs pay for more vertical than the net figure suggests, and every recovery section is followed by another effort to make up lost height.

How the Gradient Unfolds

An average of 6.61% never tells the full story on an undulating climb like this. With a maximum gradient of 26.6%, the mean is smoothed out by easier stretches that sit well below it, which means the hard pitches are considerably harsher than 6.61% implies. Expect the effort to arrive in bursts rather than as one steady drag.

• Flatter or brief downhill recovery sections that account for the 206 m of extra ascent
• Repeated short climbs rather than a single uniform grind
• At least one severe ramp approaching the 26.6% maximum, where cadence collapses fast

Pacing Notes

On a climb this lumpy, chasing even speed is a trap — you will overspend on the steep ramps and coast the flats. Aim instead for even effort, holding a steady sustainable power output through the pitches and letting your speed rise and fall with the terrain. Surge only enough to clear the steepest sections without redlining, then settle back on the recovery dips rather than hammering them. If you do not know the ceiling you can hold for 7.4 km of stop-start climbing, run the numbers through the FTP estimator first and set a target you can defend all the way to 1217 m.

Gearing

The 26.6% maximum gradient dictates your setup, not the 6.61% 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 enough to keep pedalling through the steepest ramp without grinding to a walk. Check your chainset and cassette before the ride; discovering you are over-geared halfway up a 26.6% wall is not a mistake you can fix on the road.

Summary

• Length: 7.4 km
• Average gradient: 6.61%
• Maximum gradient: 26.6%
• Net elevation gain: 491 m
• Total ascent: 697 m
• Category: 2

Nasskamm rewards riders who respect its undulation: pace by effort, gear for the 26.6% ramps, and treat the 206 m of extra ascent as a tax you plan for rather than a surprise. Do that, and the 491 m to the summit becomes a matter of rhythm rather than survival.