Albrun Pass

Overview

Albrun Pass is a hors catégorie (HC) climb in Switzerland, one of the hardest ratings a road ascent can carry. It runs 19.9 km from a start elevation of 716 m up to a summit at 2,317 m, for a net elevation gain of 1,601 m. That length and altitude gain put it firmly in the top tier of European passes, and the HC label is earned rather than generous.

The number that matters most here is the gap between net gain and total ascent. You gain 1,601 m net, but the total ascent is 2,729 m. That difference of 1,128 m is climbing you do and then give back, meaning the road dips and recovers repeatedly rather than pointing uphill the whole way. Practically, you pay for roughly 70 percent more vertical than the net figure suggests, and every metre lost to a descent is a metre you re-climb. Budget for that.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The average gradient is 8.05 percent, but on an undulating climb that average is misleading. With 1,128 m of extra ascent baked in, some sections are near-flat or descending while others are considerably steeper than 8 percent to make up the difference. Do not treat the average as the gradient you will actually ride.

• Flatter and recovery sections where the road levels off or briefly drops
• Repeated short climbs that reset your legs before each descent gives them back
• Steeper ramps well above the 8.05 percent average, sitting where the road claws back lost elevation

Pacing Notes

On a climb this broken up, even-effort pacing beats even-speed pacing. Hold a steady sustainable power output across the whole 19.9 km and let your speed rise and fall with the terrain, rather than chasing a fixed pace and spiking your effort on every ramp. The undulation punishes riders who surge, because each of those 1,128 extra metres of ascent is another chance to overcook it.

Set your target before you start. Use the FTP estimator to anchor a wattage you can hold for well over an hour, then ride the flatter and descending sections as genuine recovery so you arrive at each steep ramp with something in reserve.

Gearing

Come prepared for gradients well above the 8.05 percent average. A compact or sub-compact chainset paired with a wide-range cassette is the right call: think 34×32 or 34×34 to keep your cadence up on the steeper ramps without grinding. Over 19.9 km and 2,729 m of total ascent, a low bailout gear protects your legs across the repeated climbs. Check your setup before the ride, not at the trailhead.

Summary

• Length: 19.9 km
• Average gradient: 8.05%
• Net elevation gain: 1,601 m
• Total ascent: 2,729 m
• Category: HC

Albrun Pass is a long, undulating HC climb where the 2,729 m total ascent tells the real story rather than the 1,601 m net gain. Pace by effort, gear low, and respect the elevation you keep re-climbing.