Schartl

Overview

Schartl is a hors catégorie climb, the hardest rating a road ascent can carry, and its numbers explain why. Over 17.1 km it averages 9.01%, dragging you from a start elevation of 859 m up to a summit at 2399 m. That is a net gain of 1540 m with 1490 m of total ascent — an almost relentless upward line with barely a breath of respite built in.

A near-double-digit average sustained across 17.1 km puts Schartl firmly in the tier of climbs that reward patience over pride. There is no soft-pedalling here, and the max gradient of 21.92% guarantees at least one moment where the road stands up and stares you down.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The defining feature of Schartl is consistency of difficulty. With a 9.01% average holding across the full 17.1 km, this is not a climb that lulls you with flat kilometres and hides its teeth near the top. The steepness is present from early on and stays present.

The 21.92% max gradient tells you the road is not merely steep but genuinely spiky — a ramp more than twice the average waits somewhere along the way. Because total ascent (1490 m) sits just below the net gain (1540 m), you can expect a near-monotonic drag upward with very little downhill to recover on. Treat every steep pitch as the norm rather than the exception, and hold something back for the final stretch toward 2399 m, where thin air compounds the gradient.

Pacing Notes

On a climb this long and this steep, pacing is everything. Anchor your effort to your FTP rather than to how you feel in the first two kilometres — the 9.01% average will punish an over-eager start well before you reach the summit. Aim to settle into a sustainable percentage of threshold and defend it.

If you do not know your threshold, run the numbers first with the FTP estimator. Then split the 17.1 km into mental thirds and check that your power and heart rate are still where you want them at each mark. When you hit the 21.92% ramp, expect a brief spike above threshold — that is fine, provided you settle straight back down afterward rather than chasing the effort.

Gearing

Bring climbing gears, not compromises. For an HC climb averaging 9.01% with pitches to 21.92%, most riders will want a compact chainset paired with a wide cassette. A 34×32 is the sensible baseline and will get many strong climbers over the top, but on the steepest ramps and with 1540 m of vertical to grind out, a 34×34 buys you the extra cadence that keeps your knees and back intact. If your bike can take even more range, use it — spinning up 21.92% is far kinder than muscling it.

Summary

Schartl is a genuine HC test: 17.1 km of climbing at 9.01% average, punctuated by a 21.92% wall, lifting you 1540 m from valley to sky. Respect the distance, pace to your threshold, and gear low — do that, and the 2399 m summit is yours.

Length: 17.1 km
Average gradient: 9.01%
Max gradient: 21.92%
Start: 859 m
Summit: 2399 m
Net gain: 1540 m
Total ascent: 1490 m
Category: HC