Gailbergsattel (North side)

Gailbergsattel (North side)

The Gailbergsattel, 981 m, carries the B110 from Oberdrauburg in the Drau valley to Kötschach-Mauthen in the Gail valley, in Carinthia, Austria, and lies between the Lienz Dolomites and the Reisskofel group. It is the first climb of the Dolomitenradrundfahrt, Lienz’s cycling marathon, which rides it in exactly the same direction as this ride, after 20 flat kilometres from Lienz. The SuperGiroDolomiti crosses it too.

The ride starts across the Drau from Oberdrauburg and climbs about 6 km to the pass, then descends through Laas to Kötschach, where the road goes on south to the Plöcken Pass and Italy. The Giro d’Italia crossed the Gailberg the other way in 2011, coming from the Plöcken through Kötschach on the stage to the Grossglockner, won by José Rujano.