Przełęcz Knurowska is a climb of 5.1 kilometers (category 3). Przełęcz Knurowska tops out at 832 m above sea level. It is located in Knurów, województwo małopolskie, Polska. The average gradient is 5.4% with a maximum of 7.7%. The climb has 276 meters of elevation gain.
Difficulty breakdown: This Cat 3 climb is moderately hard. The average gradient of 5.4% is steady, but the effort builds gradually: the first kilometre is easier (4-5%), then the gradient settles at 6% for nearly 3 kilometres, giving you a consistent but sustained rhythm before a more manageable finish.
Pacing tips:
1. Easy start: Use the first kilometre (4-5%) to settle into your effort without blowing your heart rate out of the gate.
2. Steady rhythm in the heart of the climb: Find a gear you can hold steady over the long 6% section (from KM 1.5 to KM 4.5), which is the core of the effort.
3. Kick on at the top: The gradient eases to 4-5% over the final kilometre, so this is your chance to lift the pace and finish strong.
For riders who have climbed it, the ascent to Przełęcz Knurowska is proper cycling, mixing graft and scenery that's hard to beat. The road, described as full of hairpins and pitching up constantly, makes for a rewarding test, especially from Ochotnica where the gradient is called long but not excessively steep, just right for a solid training ride.
What really stays with climbers is the jaw-dropping view of the Tatras and the lake opening up as you go up. The road is often shaded by forest, which brings a welcome cool-down on hot days and adds to the calm atmosphere, although riders warn you need to stay alert for car traffic on the bends.
At the top, at 846 m, riders find an ideal starting point for hikes to Turbacz or Lubań. The spot is appreciated for its small car park (though spaces are limited) and its quiet crossroads feel, even if some facilities, like a rain shelter, are missing.
The ride is often described as pure driving pleasure, with the string of tight bends and the smooth tarmac making it a memorable road, on a bike as much as on a motorbike. Riders highlight the unique character of this crossing of the Gorce, a tarmac road that winds right into the heart of unspoiled landscape.
5.1 km • 276 m D+
VAM: average climbing speed, based on elevation gain
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