Wildanger

Overview

Wildanger is a Category 1 climb in Austria, running 8.6 km from a start elevation of 1120 m to a summit at 1761 m. Over that distance it delivers 641 m of net elevation gain at an average gradient of 7.45%. That average puts it firmly in serious territory: long enough to demand pacing discipline, steep enough that the summit stays out of sight for most of the effort.

The number that reshapes the whole climb is total ascent: 794 m against a net gain of just 641 m. That 153 m gap tells you the road does not climb cleanly. Somewhere on the profile you give back roughly 153 m and re-earn it, which means your legs pay for more vertical than the net figure suggests. Plan your effort around 794 m of real climbing, not the tidier 641 m headline.

How the Gradient Unfolds

A 7.45% average is a blend, not a constant. On Wildanger the descents and flatter links drag the mean down, which means the climbing sections sit noticeably above 7.45% to compensate. The steepest ramp bites at 23.75% — a wall that will overrun any gear you are not already spinning when you hit it.

Expect the profile to break down roughly like this:

• Flatter or recovery sections where the road eases or drops, accounting for the 153 m you re-climb
• Repeated short climbs stacked between those recoveries, each one steeper than the average implies
• A steepest ramp reaching 23.75%, where cadence collapses if you arrive over-geared or over-cooked

Pacing Notes

On a clean, steady climb you can chase even speed. Wildanger's undulation makes that a trap: holding a fixed speed forces huge power spikes on the steep pitches and wasted effort on the flatter links. Pace to even effort instead, anchored to your sustainable power output. Let speed rise on the shallow sections and fall on the ramps while your effort stays flat.

Set a target you can hold for the full 8.6 km, then protect it — especially into the 23.75% wall, where the temptation to muscle over blows the rest of the climb. If you do not know your ceiling yet, run the FTP estimator before you commit to a number.

Gearing

The 23.75% ramp governs your setup, not the average. At that pitch you want a compact or sub-compact chainset paired with a wide-range cassette — think 34×32 or 34×34 — so you keep a turnable cadence instead of grinding to a standstill. Check your chainset and cassette before the ride; discovering you are one sprocket short happens at exactly the wrong moment on a wall this steep.

Summary

• Length: 8.6 km
• Average gradient: 7.45%
• Maximum gradient: 23.75%
• Net elevation gain: 641 m
• Total ascent: 794 m
• Category: 1

Wildanger rewards riders who respect the gap between its 641 m net gain and 794 m of real climbing. Pace to effort, gear for the 23.75% ramp, and the Category 1 label becomes a challenge you can meet rather than one that meets you.