Saint Gravel Bodensee: Course, Elevation & Route Profile
Saint Gravel Bodensee is the self-guided gravel branch of the Bodensee Radmarathon: roughly 120 kilometres from Kreuzlingen to Stein am Rhein and back across the Swiss Seerücken. With about 70 percent off-road terrain and a substantial amount of climbing, navigation, surface control and long-distance fuelling define the day.
No date has been announced for the next edition yet. The course, elevation and route profile above are from the most recent edition.
Course & Elevation
The start and finish infrastructure is shared between Kreuzlingen and Stein am Rhein, and the published route passes the Rhine, Hüttwilersee, beaver dams, castles, the Napoleonturm, Generalsstand, Raffoltersee and Geisslibach. Eugerswil hosts the feed and repair stop, while Stein am Rhein is the checkpoint. The official TCB file measures 120.425 kilometres.
The organiser's segment table lists 116.7 kilometres and 1,590 metres of climbing, divided between the opening to Stein am Rhein, the long middle section to Eugerswil and the return to Kreuzlingen. It is a rolling gravel profile: repeated Seerücken rises are the price of linking the lake and Rhine landscapes rather than one alpine climb. The GPX is sent to entrants and the course is intentionally unmarked.
Pacing Strategy
At 120 kilometres, the day is decided not by one climb but by holding an even effort for hours over changing surfaces. Keep the intensity in a comfortable aerobic range and ride short ramps at high cadence instead of forcing them in a heavy gear. Loose ground punishes overreaching more severely than a tarmac loop.
The decisive section is the long middle leg to Eugerswil, where the longest self-sufficiency stretch meets accumulated climbing before the return feels psychologically easier. The trap is an over-fast opening from Kreuzlingen and carrying too little water between fixed points. Fuel and drink by time, not only by the few official stations.
Training plan for Saint Gravel Bodensee: 12-week build
Depending on fitness, surface and stops, allow roughly seven to ten hours. The effort is mostly aerobic but becomes surgy through short accelerations, technical line choice and repeated rises. Core, hands and shoulders work much harder on 70 percent off-road terrain than on a road ride.
Make four- to seven-hour gravel rides the training centre, with shorter forest-track sessions that put technical sections at the end. Add seated strength endurance on longer rises and practise navigating cleanly while tired.
The course is unmarked in September and is ridden from the GPX sent to entrants. Test offline navigation and battery life, tyres and pressure on wet gravel, and repairs in the field. Practise self-sufficiency for long gaps too: the Eugerswil stop and Stein am Rhein checkpoint divide the day but do not replace your own reserve.
Course Map
Profile Parameters
Slope Distribution
Climbs on Route
| Start (km) | Length | Ø Gradient | Max Gradient | Elev Gain | Category |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KM 3.3 | 3.2 km | 3.9% | 5.7% | +124m | Cat. 4 |
| KM 13.3 | 1.4 km | 4.3% | 5.7% | +59m | — |
| KM 16.5 | 0.8 km | 6.7% | 12.4% | +55m | — |
| KM 26.1 | 0.9 km | 6.3% | 10.9% | +57m | — |
| KM 46.5 | 1.4 km | 7.6% | 10.7% | +110m | Cat. 4 |
| KM 70.3 | 2.1 km | 5.4% | 9.5% | +115m | Cat. 4 |
| KM 79.3 | 1.8 km | 8.8% | 13.8% | +156m | Cat. 4 |
| KM 94.5 | 2.3 km | 5.1% | 8.2% | +114m | Cat. 4 |
Climb categories follow the road-cycling convention and rate the terrain itself (length and gradient) regardless of sport: Cat. 4 marks the easiest rated climbs, Cat. 1 the hardest, and HC (hors catégorie, “beyond categorization”) is reserved for the most brutal ascents. Short climbs below the Cat. 4 threshold stay unrated.
Course as GPX
Download the Saint Gravel Bodensee (ca. 120 km) course as a GPX file for your watch or bike computer.
Adaptive race preparation
Let YOUB adapt your plan for Saint Gravel Bodensee dynamically
Ben connects your goal, the course, current load, recovery, and calendar. Your plan stays pointed at race day even when real life is not perfectly plannable.
Frequently asked questions
How long is Saint Gravel Bodensee?
Saint Gravel Bodensee is 120 km long. That distance shapes how much aerobic endurance, pace durability, and race-specific work belong in the training plan.
How much elevation gain does Saint Gravel Bodensee have?
Saint Gravel Bodensee has around 1,509 m of elevation gain over 120 km. That affects pacing, muscular load, and preparation for late-race sections.
What is the route profile of Saint Gravel Bodensee?
Saint Gravel Bodensee is classified as Rolling, averaging 12.5 vertical metres per kilometre. 36% of the route is flat, 29% climbs moderately (2 to 6%) and 3% is steeper than 6%.
What climbs does Saint Gravel Bodensee have?
The hardest climb of Saint Gravel Bodensee starts at kilometre 79.3, runs for 1.8 km at an average of 8.8% and gains 156 metres. Cycling-convention rating: Cat. 4. 8 climbs are mapped in total.
Is Saint Gravel Bodensee a loop course?
Yes, Saint Gravel Bodensee is laid out as a loop: start and finish are in the same place.
Is there a GPX file for the Saint Gravel Bodensee course?
Yes. The Saint Gravel Bodensee course is on this page as a free GPX download — ready to import into Garmin, Wahoo, Komoot, Strava or any other app that reads GPX.
How should I prepare for Saint Gravel Bodensee?
Preparation for Saint Gravel Bodensee should account for 120 km, 1,509 m of elevation gain, current training load, and available training time. An adaptive plan helps place key sessions without ignoring recovery and real life.
What pacing strategy works for Saint Gravel Bodensee?
The pacing strategy for Saint Gravel Bodensee should reflect 120 km, 1,509 m of elevation gain, and your current fitness. Start controlled and keep margin for sections where the profile or fatigue makes target pace harder.
When does Saint Gravel Bodensee next take place?
No date has been announced for the next edition yet. The most recent one was held on September 13, 2026.
Where does Saint Gravel Bodensee take place?
Saint Gravel Bodensee takes place in Kreuzlingen, Switzerland.
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