Zwüschet Mythen

Overview

Zwüschet Mythen is a Category 1 climb that packs an enormous amount of vertical into a short distance. Over just 7.9 km it lifts you from a start elevation of 450 m to a summit at 1188 m, a net gain of 738 m. That works out to an average gradient of 9.38%, a figure steep enough to make this a genuine test rather than a tempo effort. There is no easing in and no gentle valley approach baked into the numbers: the moment the road tilts up, it stays up. With a maximum pitch of 22.21%, this is a climb that rewards riders who respect it early and punishes anyone who treats the first kilometres as a warm-up.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The headline number is the 9.38% average, but averages hide the story. A climb that averages 9.38% and touches 22.21% is one of contrasts: stretches near the mean that already sting, broken up by ramps that momentarily double the effort. The gap between the total ascent of 714 m and the net gain of 738 m is small, which tells you the road climbs almost continuously with very little false-flat or descending relief to recover on. Practically, that means the 738 m of net vertical arrives in a near-unbroken staircase. Expect the steepest sections to bite where the road pinches, and plan your effort so you are not already deep in the red when the gradient jumps toward its 22.21% peak.

Pacing Notes

On a climb this steep, pacing is everything. The sustainable way up is to anchor your effort to your FTP and hold a steady, repeatable power rather than surging. Because the average of 9.38% keeps you above threshold-tempting territory for the full 7.9 km, going out too hard in the first third leaves nothing for the 22.21% ramps later. If you do not know your threshold, run the numbers through the FTP estimator before you tackle it, then ride the lower slopes a touch conservatively. Save a small buffer for the steepest pitches, where cadence collapses and raw torque takes over. Steady beats heroic here every single time.

Gearing

Do not under-gear this one. With a 9.38% average sustained across 7.9 km and spikes to 22.21%, you want a cassette that lets you spin rather than grind. A compact 34-tooth chainring paired with a 32-tooth sprocket (34×32) is the sensible baseline for strong climbers, but most riders will be far happier with 34×34, which gives you the extra range to keep the pedals turning through the sharpest ramps without wrecking your knees. If your bike accepts it, err toward the easier ratio. On a wall like this, having a gear in reserve is what keeps a hard climb from becoming an unrideable one.

Summary

Zwüschet Mythen is short, savage and unrelenting: a Category 1 effort that demands honest pacing, low gearing and a cool head on its steepest ramps. Get those right and the summit air is your reward.

Length: 7.9 km
Average gradient: 9.38%
Max gradient: 22.21%
Start: 450 m
Summit: 1188 m
Net gain: 738 m
Total ascent: 714 m
Category: 1