Let me begin by saying:
1) Hahntennjoch is a big, beautiful climb.
2) I have never been passed by so many motorcycles in a single day. Never. Miserable.
I made the mistake of riding this on an Austrian national holiday, “Corpus Christi” day, with perfect weather. So motorcycles kept getting in the way of photos:
Unlike most of the big roads I’ve cycled on this Austria trip, there was no toll booth. Although these guys did make me stop:
There are definitely some steep stretches on the climb, and plenty of nice mountain views.
I was grouchy due to all the motorcyclists and when I reached the top, it was worse, as they all seemed to be smokers too. Oh, well.
I decided to hang in there and descended several kilometres down the other side to the flat stretch in the middle of the profile below. Lots of hairpins and some very steep slopes climbing back.
And hundreds of motorcycles:
Sorry. I am usually a very cheerful cyclist (and blogger), but this was not my favourite ride.
A 3D video of ride:
3 Comments
Sorry you had a miserable time on the Hahntennjoch. It always used to be the first climb on the Tour Transalp (think closed roads, only the race people up there, sounds of cowbells above the heavy breathing, nobody tired yet,…). In 2003 my husband and his partner broke away and were able to look down to a completely empty road in the valley below them. I did it in 2004, 2006 and 2008. 2004 and 2006 were great but in 2008 my partner and I were hit by a massive thunderstorm on the climb with the descent to Imst causing many, many crashes. We stayed upright (fortunately).
On my list! I guess you used this website?
http://www.dangerousroads.org/europe/austria.html
Rode a few km into it today and then chain jammed due to my fitting chain on outside of rear derailleur. Stupid! So aborted climb, went to bike shop, borrowed chain link stretching, fixed bike and went yo next venue in Oztal