Grünhornlücke

Grünhornlücke cycling climb profile

Grünhornlücke is an HC-scale effort in Switzerland, and the defining feature is not a single savage statistic but the amount of time the climb asks you to keep applying pressure. At 25.9 km with 1,512 m of net elevation gain, it is long enough that poor pacing early becomes expensive well before the summit. The average gradient of 5.85% makes it look manageable on paper, but that figure has to be read alongside the maximum gradient of 15.48%.

That combination tells you how the climb is likely to feel on the bike: not a wall from bottom to top, but a long aerobic grind where any easier ground is offset by much sharper pitches. The profile starts at 650 m and finishes at 2,162 m, so the ride is also defined by sustained vertical accumulation. There is no room to treat the lower slopes as a warm-up if the goal is to finish strongly.

How the gradient unfolds

The headline average points to a climb that rewards rhythm, but the maximum gradient changes the tactical picture. A steady 5.85% over 25.9 km would already be a serious endurance test. Once ramps up to 15.48% are included, the climb becomes more stochastic: you need enough control on the steadier sections to absorb the steepest moments without spiking too far above sustainable power.

The practical takeaway is simple. Ride the lower part as if the steepest section is still ahead, because statistically it can be. Do not chase speed early just because the average gradient appears moderate for an HC climb. On a climb this long, the limiting factor is less peak strength and more how well you keep repeated surges from turning into a slow fade.

Pacing and gearing notes

Use a ceiling, not just a target. If you pace by /glossary/ftp, keep the opening effort controlled and leave space for the 15.48% ramps. Those pitches are where riders often burn matches they cannot replace over 25.9 km.

Gearing should be chosen for the maximum gradient, not the average. A setup that feels comfortable at 5.85% can become restrictive when the road reaches its steepest ramps, especially late in the climb. Prioritize a low gear that lets you keep cadence under control rather than forcing a standing grind every time the slope kicks up.

For a well-paced ride, think in three rules:

• Start below the effort you think the average gradient deserves.
• Stay seated and economical whenever the gradient allows it.
• Save torque-heavy efforts for the steepest ramps, not for early speed.

Grünhornlücke is hard because the numbers compound: HC length, 1,512 m of net gain, and double-digit maximum gradient. Treat it as an endurance climb with sharp penalties for impatience, and the profile becomes much more manageable.