The Großglockner-Hochalpenstraße – or Grossglockner High Alpine Road – features annually in the Tour of Austria and has also been used twice by the Giro d’Italia, returning in 2011 having first used the climb in 1971.

It is named after the Großglockner, Austria’s highest mountain at 3,798 m. Fortunately the road doesn’t go that high but still ascends to 2,556m. The northern approach climbs for 19km at an average gradient of 9 per cent, making it one of the hardest climbs in the Alps.

Vital statistics

Length: 19km
Average gradient: nine per cent
Start elevation: 886m
End elevation: 2556m