Tamierpass

Tamierpass cycling climb profile

The Tamierpass is a short climb only in distance, not in workload. At 11.2 km, it does not ask for the long-duration rhythm of a major alpine pass, but the average gradient of 15.7% changes the entire pacing problem. This is an HC climb because the vertical gain is packed into very little road.

The climb starts at 534 m and rises to 2,295 m, giving a net elevation gain of 1,761 m. That relationship between distance and elevation is the key fact. There is no listed maximum gradient, so the safest reading is not to wait for one decisive wall, but to treat the whole climb as the wall.

How the gradient unfolds

With the available profile data, the defining feature is sustained steepness from bottom to summit. An 11.2 km climb averaging 15.7% leaves very little room for meaningful recovery. If there are any flatter moments on the road, the math implies they are balanced by sections that bite immediately afterward.

That matters tactically. On a climb like this, the opening minutes are unusually dangerous. The lower slopes can feel manageable because the effort is fresh, but a gradient this high loads the legs before aerobic drift becomes obvious. If you ride the first part at normal climbing intensity, the cost arrives later as low-cadence fatigue rather than a simple rise in breathing.

The final part should be approached as a continuation of the same problem, not as a separate finishing ramp. From 534 m to 2,295 m, the climb gains enough height that the effort will feel increasingly expensive even if the road does not change character. The priority is keeping torque under control for as long as possible.

Pacing and gearing notes

Use gearing that lets you stay seated and keep cadence from collapsing. The average gradient is high enough that a standard climbing gear may still feel overgeared, especially after the first sustained block of climbing. If you are choosing equipment specifically for this ascent, bias toward the easiest setup you can justify.

Pacing should sit below the effort you would normally target for an 11 km climb. The distance tempts an aggressive approach, but the 1,761 m of net gain makes this more like a vertical endurance test than a short threshold climb. Riding by power, keep the first section controlled relative to /glossary/ftp rather than chasing speed. Riding by feel, cap the effort before breathing becomes forced.

Practical cues:

• Start easier than the distance suggests
• Shift early and protect cadence before the gradient forces the issue
• Avoid standing surges unless they are brief resets
• Fuel before the climb, because eating at this gradient can be awkward
• Treat any easing in the road as recovery, not an invitation to accelerate

The Tamierpass rewards restraint. The rider who manages torque and avoids early spikes will almost always climb better than the rider who treats 11.2 km as a short effort.