Alpl

Overview

The Alpl is a Category 2 climb in Austria, running 12 km from a base at 610 m to a summit of 1,104 m. On paper it reads as a moderate effort: 494 m of net elevation gain spread across 12 km gives an average gradient of 4.12%. That places it firmly in the middle tier of categorized climbs, long enough to demand pacing but shallow enough on average to ride from the saddle for most of its length.

The average, though, tells only part of the story. The climb logs 876 m of total ascent against just 494 m of net gain. That 382 m gap means the road repeatedly gives elevation back, then reclaims it, so you are climbing far more than the net figure suggests. Every metre of descent is a metre you have to earn a second time, and those transitions break rhythm and cost energy that a smooth 4.12% grade never would.

How the Gradient Unfolds

A 4.12% average on an undulating profile hides a wide spread. Long shallow drags and recovery dips pull the number down, which masks the sharper ramps where the real work happens. The 16.81% maximum gradient confirms there is at least one pitch far steeper than anything the average implies.

• Flatter and gently downhill recovery sections that let the average sit low
• Repeated short climbs where you regain elevation lost on the descents
• At least one steep ramp reaching 16.81%, likely short but demanding a gear change and a shift out of the saddle

Pacing Notes

Because of the undulation, do not chase even speed here. Holding a fixed pace forces you to spike hard on the ramps and coast on the descents, burning matches you cannot recover. Instead, ride even effort: hold a steady sustainable power output on the climbs and let your speed rise freely on the flatter and downhill sections rather than pushing to maintain a number.

If you do not know your threshold, run the FTP estimator before the ride and target a percentage of it that you can hold across the full 12 km, allowing brief surges over that ceiling only on the 16.81% ramp.

Gearing

The 16.81% maximum sets your gearing floor. That gradient is steep enough that a standard chainset will leave you grinding at low cadence. Fit a compact (50/34) or sub-compact chainset paired with a wide-range cassette, something like 34×32 or 34×34, so you keep a spinnable cadence on the steepest pitch. Check your setup before the ride: confirm the cassette and derailleur can handle the range, and that shifting is clean under load.

Summary

• Length: 12 km
• Average gradient: 4.12%
• Maximum gradient: 16.81%
• Net elevation gain: 494 m
• Total ascent: 876 m
• Category: 2

The Alpl is easy to underestimate. Its 4.12% average suggests a steady tempo climb, but 876 m of total ascent and a 16.81% ramp mean the real effort lives in the undulation. Pace by effort, gear for the steep pitch, and treat the net numbers with respect.