Oberschönegg

Overview

Oberschönegg is a 6.3 km climb that reads as gentle on paper and settles into that reputation on the road. It starts at 548 m and tops out at 782 m, a net gain of 234 m at an average gradient of 3.71%. That places it squarely in category 4 — the mildest of the graded climbs, sitting below categories 3, 2, 1, and the hors catégorie monsters above them.

Don't let the average lull you completely, though. The total ascent of 217 m is slightly under the net elevation gain of 234 m, which tells you the road climbs almost continuously without meaningful descents to give back altitude. This is a clean, upward-trending effort rather than a rolling one, and the single hardest ramp bites at 8.77% — more than double the average.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The story here is one of a modest baseline punctuated by one clear surge. Spread 234 m of climbing across 6.3 km and you get a gradient that, on average, barely tilts the road. For much of the ascent you'll be turning a comfortable gear and holding tempo rather than grinding.

The defining feature is the spike to 8.77%. Against a 3.71% average, that pitch is where the climb briefly changes character — a short stretch steep enough to spike your heart rate and force a gear change before the road relaxes again. Treat the profile as long stretches of easy tempo bracketed around that one demanding kicker, and you'll pace it correctly.

Pacing Notes

Because the average is low, Oberschönegg is a climb you can ride close to threshold without blowing up — provided you meter the effort across the steep pinch. Anchor your pacing to your FTP: on the shallow sections you can sit slightly below it and stay aerobic, then absorb the 8.77% ramp as a short over-threshold surge rather than a sustained grind.

If you don't know your current threshold, run the numbers first with the FTP estimator so your targets are grounded in real power. The key mistake on a climb like this is overcooking the easy early kilometers and having nothing left when the gradient jumps.

Gearing

For a 6.3 km category 4 climb averaging 3.71%, you don't need extreme gearing — but that 8.77% ramp is worth respecting. A compact setup with a 34×32 will cover the vast majority of the climb comfortably, letting you spin the shallow tempo sections and still have a bailout gear for the steep pinch.

If you tend to climb at a lower cadence, prefer to sit while others stand, or you're carrying fatigue from earlier climbs, a 34×34 gives you extra margin on the 8.77% section without any real penalty on the flatter stretches. Either choice is sensible here; the 34×34 simply buys comfort.

Summary

Oberschönegg is an accessible, tempo-friendly climb — long enough to matter, gentle enough to enjoy, with one honest kicker to keep it interesting. Pace the easy kilometers, respect the steep pinch, and it rewards a steady rhythm.

Length: 6.3 km
Average gradient: 3.71%
Max gradient: 8.77%
Start: 548 m
Summit: 782 m
Net gain: 234 m
Total ascent: 217 m
Category: 4