Korntauern

Korntauern cycling climb profile

Korntauern is a long, category 1 climb that rewards restraint more than aggression. The headline numbers are straightforward: 19.7 km at an average gradient of 6.1%, rising from 673 m to 1872 m for 1199 m of net elevation gain. That combination makes it a sustained endurance climb rather than a short power test.

The key detail is the gap between the average gradient and the maximum gradient of 14.21%. A 6.1% average can tempt riders into thinking this is a climb to ride on feel, but the steepest ramps change the pacing equation. If you spend too much early energy treating the lower-gradient sections as free speed, the double-digit pitches become where the climb starts taking back time.

How the gradient feels

Based on the available profile data, Korntauern should be approached as a long steady ascent with sharper gradients embedded inside it. The road gains height consistently over almost 20 km, so there is little room for repeated over-threshold efforts unless you are deliberately racing the climb.

The average gradient tells you the main character of the ascent: mostly sustained climbing pressure. The maximum gradient tells you the risk: there are sections steep enough to force a gear change, alter cadence, and push power well above target if you are not disciplined. That is the tactical problem of Korntauern. It is not only about whether you can handle 6.1% for 19.7 km. It is whether you can handle the harder ramps without letting them dictate the rest of the ride.

Pacing strategy

Start below the effort you think you can hold. On a climb of this length, early overpacing is expensive because the summit sits 1199 m above the start. The first priority is keeping breathing and cadence stable while the climb settles into its rhythm.

A good approach is to ride the steadier sections at a controlled climbing effort, then accept small increases in power on the steepest pitches without turning them into attacks. If you use /glossary/ftp as your reference, this is the kind of ascent where holding a sustainable sub-threshold effort for most of the climb is usually more effective than repeatedly chasing speed whenever the gradient eases.

The final part of the climb should be where effort rises, not where damage control begins. If you still have the ability to increase pressure near the summit at 1872 m, the pacing has been right.

Gearing notes

Korntauern needs climbing gearing, not just fitness. The 14.21% maximum gradient is the number to respect when choosing your setup. If your easiest gear is only comfortable at the average gradient, it may leave you grinding on the steepest ramps.

Prioritise a low gear that lets you keep seated control when the road pitches up. That matters because preserving cadence on the steep sections reduces muscular load and helps keep the long climb from becoming a sequence of recovery efforts after every ramp.

In practical terms, ride Korntauern like a climb that is mostly steady but has enough bite to punish poor gearing and optimistic pacing.