Schweizer Tor

Overview

Schweizer Tor is a Category 2 climb in Switzerland (CH), running 5.4 km from a start elevation of 1,523 m to a summit at 1,951 m. The net elevation gain across that distance is 428 m, and the road averages 7.89% — a sustained mid-mountain grind that sits firmly in the range where pacing discipline separates a good ascent from a blow-up. At just over five kilometres, it is short enough to attack but steep enough to punish anyone who starts too hard.

The number that matters most here is the gap between net gain and total work. You climb 428 m net, but the total ascent is 705 m — 277 m more than the straight-line elevation difference. That mismatch is undulation: the road repeatedly kicks up and drops back, so you are climbing more than the summit figure suggests. Expect an effort that feels harder than a smooth 428 m climb, because every dip you descend has to be re-climbed.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The 7.89% average is a blend, not a constant. With 277 m of "extra" ascent baked into the profile, long stretches sit well below average while short ramps spike well above it. The maximum pitch hits 33.88% — a wall that demands you are in your easiest gear before you reach it, not scrambling for it mid-ramp.

• Flatter or gently descending sections where you can recover and shift up
• Repeated short climbs that stack on top of one another rather than one continuous drag
• The steepest ramp at 33.88%, where cadence collapses and raw torque matters

Pacing Notes

On an undulating climb like this, even-effort beats even-speed. Chasing a constant speed forces you to spike power on every ramp and coast the flats, burning matches you cannot replace. Instead, hold a steady sustainable power output and let your speed rise and fall with the gradient — fast on the shallow sections, slow on the walls.

Because the steep pitches are brutal, allow your power to drift slightly above threshold on the sharpest ramps, then settle back on the flatter recovery zones. Know your ceiling before you start: run the FTP estimator and set a target you can defend for the full 5.4 km.

Gearing

The 33.88% maximum dictates your setup. A standard chainset will leave you grinding or walking on the steepest ramp. Fit a compact or, better, a sub-compact chainset paired with a wide-range cassette — think 34×32 or 34×34 as a minimum. That combination keeps your cadence high enough to protect your legs on the walls without over-torquing the drivetrain. Check your gearing before the ride; you do not want to discover you are under-geared halfway up a 30%-plus pitch.

Summary

• Length: 5.4 km
• Average gradient: 7.89%
• Maximum gradient: 33.88%
• Net elevation gain: 428 m
• Total ascent: 705 m
• Category: 2

Schweizer Tor rewards riders who respect its undulation. Pace to power, gear low, and treat the 705 m of total ascent — not the 428 m net — as the real measure of the work ahead.