Ruppenpass

Overview

Ruppenpass is a long, low-gradient effort that rewards patience over power. Across 20.5 km the road climbs from 392 m to a 1029 m summit, delivering 637 m of net elevation gain at an average of just 3.11%. That average tells you most of the story: this is a tempo climb, not a wall. With 627 m of total ascent packed into more than twenty kilometres, the slope sits gently under your wheels for long stretches — which makes it deceptively easy to overcook early and pay for it near the top.

Rated Category 3, Ruppenpass falls in the mid-to-lower tier of difficulty (HC is hardest, then 1 through 4). The challenge here is duration and rhythm rather than raw steepness.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The defining feature is the gap between the 3.11% average and the 13.2% maximum. A climb this long at so shallow an average is never uniform — the low mean is only possible because much of the road is barely tilted, offsetting the steeper pitches. Expect long shallow drags where you can hold big-ring speed, broken by short ramps that spike toward that 13.2% figure.

Notice how close the two elevation figures sit: 637 m of net gain against 627 m of total ascent. That tiny difference means there is almost no descending or flat give-back across the 20.5 km — the road climbs nearly continuously, just at a modest rate. Treat the steep pitches as isolated events: they arrive, they bite, and then the gradient relaxes again.

Pacing Notes

On a climb this long, pacing discipline matters more than on a short brute. Anchor your effort to a percentage of your FTP — for a 20-plus-kilometre sustained effort, a controlled tempo just below threshold keeps you fresh for the ramps. If you do not know your threshold number, run the numbers through the FTP estimator before you plan your pacing.

The mistake most riders make on shallow climbs is riding them like flat roads and burning matches on the gentle sections. Instead, ride the shallow drags at a steady, repeatable output and allow your effort — not your speed — to rise on the steep pitches. Let the 13.2% ramps push your cadence and heart rate briefly, then settle back onto your tempo target as soon as the road eases. Fuel early; 637 m of climbing over 20.5 km is a long time in the saddle.

Gearing

Because the average is only 3.11%, most riders will not need bailout gearing for the bulk of Ruppenpass — but the 13.2% ramps are where an easy sprocket earns its keep at the end of a long day. A compact 34-tooth chainring paired with a 34×32 low gear covers the steep pitches comfortably for most fit riders. If you tire easily on late-climb ramps, or you are carrying weight, step up to a 34×34 for extra insurance. The shallow sections reward a mid-cassette gear you can spin smoothly, so a wide-range cassette gives you the best of both worlds: efficiency on the drags, rescue on the spikes.

Summary

Ruppenpass is a rhythm climb: long, shallow, and forgiving on paper, with just enough steep punctuation to catch out riders who start too hard. Pace it by effort, gear for the ramps, and let the 20.5 km come to you.

Length: 20.5 km
Average gradient: 3.11%
Max gradient: 13.2%
Start: 392 m
Summit: 1029 m
Net gain: 637 m
Total ascent: 627 m
Category: 3