Schlinigpass

Overview

Schlinigpass is a genuine hors catégorie test: 17.1 km of climbing that averages 7.94% and drags you from a valley floor at 956 m up to a 2313 m summit. On paper that is 1357 m of net elevation gain, and the total ascent of 1339 m confirms there is almost no respite baked into the profile — this is a climb that goes up and keeps going up. An HC label is reserved for the hardest ascents, and the combination of length, sustained pitch, and altitude here earns it comfortably. Expect a long, honest effort measured in the tens of minutes, not a short punch.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The headline number is that 7.94% average, but averages hide the teeth. With a maximum gradient of 23.03%, there are ramps here more than three times steeper than the mean, and those spikes are what will define your day. On a climb of this length, an average near 8% means the road rarely eases below a working gradient — the milder sections exist mainly to set up the next wall. The near-parity between net gain (1357 m) and total ascent (1339 m) tells you there is virtually no descending or flat to coast through, so you never truly reset. Treat every stretch that dips under the average as recovery to be banked, because the pitches climbing toward 23.03% will draw that credit straight back out.

Pacing Notes

Over 17.1 km at 7.94%, pacing discipline matters more than raw power. The single biggest mistake on a climb this long is starting above threshold and paying compound interest for the final third. Anchor your effort to your FTP and aim to sit just below it on the sustained sections, saving your matches for the ramps toward 23.03% where staying seated and spinning simply is not an option. If you do not have a current threshold figure, run the numbers through the FTP estimator before you go, then work out a target power band for the full 1357 m of gain. Climbing from 956 m toward a 2313 m summit also means thinner air near the top — hold a little in reserve for those closing kilometres.

Gearing

Do not under-gear this one. With a 7.94% average stretched over 17.1 km and spikes to 23.03%, you want a wide range and a bailout you trust. A compact 34-tooth inner paired with at least a 32-tooth sprocket — a 34×32 — is the sensible floor for strong climbers. Most riders will thank themselves for going further to a 34×34, which meaningfully lowers your cadence-preserving gear on the steepest walls and keeps your knees intact across the full 1339 m of ascent. The extra range costs you nothing on the average slope and buys real insurance when the road tips toward 23%.

Summary

Schlinigpass is a long, relentless HC ascent with no hiding places — big net gain, minimal respite, and pitches steep enough to demand real gearing. Pace it to your threshold, respect the walls, and enjoy the payoff at 2313 m.

Length: 17.1 km
Average gradient: 7.94%
Max gradient: 23.03%
Start: 956 m
Summit: 2313 m
Net gain: 1357 m
Total ascent: 1339 m
Category: HC