Radmerhals

Overview

Radmerhals is a Category 2 climb in Austria, running 12.6 km from a start elevation of 661 m to a summit at 1322 m. The net elevation gain across that distance is 661 m, giving an average gradient of 5.24%. On paper that reads like a steady, moderate climb — the kind of ascent you can settle into and grind out at tempo.

The paper number lies, though. While the net gain is 661 m, the total ascent is 902 m — a gap of 241 m. That difference is undulation: the road repeatedly gives back elevation before clawing it back, so you climb 902 m worth of vertical to net only 661 m. Every metre lost to a descent has to be re-earned, and that re-earning happens on pitches steeper than the 5.24% average suggests. Budget your effort for 902 m of climbing, not 661.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The 5.24% average hides both flatter recovery and sharp ramps. With 241 m of extra ascent baked into the profile, the climb is not a single sustained wall but a sequence of pitches broken by descents and false flats. The steepest recorded ramp hits 28.73% — a gradient that will force you out of the saddle regardless of how you paced the approach.

• Flatter and downhill recovery sections that account for the gap between 661 m net and 902 m total
• Repeated short climbs stacked back-to-back rather than one continuous grade
• A brutal steepest ramp at 28.73% that demands your lowest gear

Pacing Notes

On an undulating climb like this, even-effort pacing beats even-speed pacing. Chasing a constant speed forces you deep into the red on every ramp and lets you coast on the descents — the worst possible distribution. Instead, hold a steady sustainable power output across the whole climb, letting speed rise on the flatter sections and fall on the steep ones.

The undulation makes this discipline harder: the descents tempt you to recover too little and the ramps tempt you to surge. Know your ceiling before you start. Run the numbers through the FTP estimator so you have a target wattage to hold rather than a target time.

Gearing

The 28.73% maximum ramp governs your gearing choice entirely. A standard road setup will leave you grinding at unsustainable torque. Fit a compact (34-tooth inner ring) or sub-compact chainset paired with a wide-range cassette — a 34×32 or 34×34 low gear is the sensible floor for a pitch this steep. Check your setup before the ride; discovering your lowest gear is too tall halfway up a near-30% wall is not a mistake you recover from.

Summary

• Length: 12.6 km
• Average gradient: 5.24%
• Maximum gradient: 28.73%
• Net elevation gain: 661 m
• Total ascent: 902 m
• Category: 2

Radmerhals rewards riders who read past the average. Pace to power, gear for the 28.73% ramp, and treat the full 902 m of ascent as the real workload.