Radl Pass

Overview

Radl Pass is a Category 3 climb in Austria, running 7.2 km from a base at 314 m to a summit of 674 m. The net elevation gain over that distance is 360 m, giving it the moderate profile you would expect from its category — long enough to matter, short enough to hold a steady effort if you read it correctly. The average gradient sits just under 5%, which places it firmly in the tempo range rather than the survival zone.

The number that changes how you ride it is total ascent: 608 m against a net gain of 360 m. That 248 m gap means the road does not climb uniformly. Somewhere on the profile you are giving back roughly a fifth of a kilometre of vertical to descents and flats, then reclaiming it on the pitches that follow. Undulation like this raises the true cost of the climb above what the net figure suggests, because every dip you coast down is a ramp you have to climb back up.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The 4.99% average is a blend, not a description. With a maximum gradient of 14.05%, the steepest ramp is nearly three times the average — proof that the climb hides its hardest metres inside otherwise gentle terrain. Expect the effort to arrive in bursts rather than as one long grind.

• Flatter or recovery sections where the road eases and you can spin and drink
• Repeated short climbs stacked between those recoveries, which is where the extra 248 m of ascent accumulates
• A single steepest ramp touching 14.05%, sharp enough to force a gear change and a brief seated grind

Pacing Notes

On an undulating climb like this, chasing even speed will burn you out — you would spike well over threshold on every ramp to hold a constant number. Instead, pace by even effort. Hold a target on the climbs, ease genuinely on the descents, and let your speed fluctuate. Anchor that target to your sustainable power output rather than to how you feel on the first ramp, which always lies.

If you do not know your ceiling, run the FTP estimator before you go, then ride the pitches just under it so the 14% ramp does not push you into the red you cannot recover from.

Gearing

The steepest gradient governs your gearing choice, and 14.05% is steep enough to demand range. Fit a compact or sub-compact chainset and pair it with a wide-range cassette — a 34×32 or 34×34 will keep your cadence sensible on that hardest ramp instead of forcing a grinding, low-cadence lunge. Check your setup before the ride. Confirming the cassette and chainring now is far easier than wishing for an easier gear halfway up.

Summary

• Length: 7.2 km
• Average gradient: 4.99%
• Maximum gradient: 14.05%
• Net elevation gain: 360 m
• Total ascent: 608 m
• Category: 3

Radl Pass is a manageable Category 3 that punches above its average thanks to 248 m of undulation on top of its 360 m net gain. Pace it by effort, gear for the 14% ramp, and it rewards you with a steady, repeatable climb.