The climbs of South Limburg, at home

The climbs at a glance

Seven climbs lie within a few kilometres of each other in the hills between Valkenburg, Schin op Geul and Maastricht. None is long. Several are steep enough to make you stand.

Keutenberg: the steepest

The Keutenberg climbs out of the Geul valley for about 1.4 km and wastes little time getting steep. Its hardest hundred metres average about 15%, and over half a kilometre it still averages close to 12%. Go into it in a low gear, stay seated as long as you can, and save your standing for the steepest part.

Cauberg: the famous one

The Cauberg leaves Valkenburg and climbs for under a kilometre. Its steep part comes first, up to about 12%, before it bends and eases. That is where riders lose time: they go hard at the bottom and have nothing left for the long drag to the top. Ride the bottom a little below your limit, then empty yourself over the last few hundred metres.

Walem, Fromberg and the Geulhemmerberg

The Walem is longer and steadier: 1.6 km, with its steepest pitch at about 9%. A climb for finding your rhythm. The Fromberg is gentle on average with one sharper ramp, a climb to ride hard and fast. The Geulhemmerberg is even all the way, around 5 to 7%, the kind of climb where steady power pays.

Sibbergrubbe and Bemelerberg

The two longest climbs are the gentlest. The Sibbergrubbe rises over 2.4 km and the Bemelerberg over 2 km, both at a little over 3% on average. On these the big ring stays on for strong riders, and steady power just over your FTP is the quickest way up.

How to ride short, steep climbs

• Pace the first half. On a climb of two to four minutes you can ride above your FTP, around zone 5. Starting at sprint power costs you more at the top than it gains you at the bottom.
• Shift before the steep part, not on it, and keep your cadence up.
• Recover on the way down. In these hills the next climb is never far, and the descents are your rest.
• Train for them with repeats. Four to six times up the Cauberg, easy down, trains exactly what these hills ask of you.

Riding them in VeloWatt Pro

In the Limburg world, choose a built-in loop – from one over the Walem and the Cauberg to one that links five of the climbs – or draw your own route on the map. On Road your trainer makes each climb harder as it steepens; in Settings you choose how much of the gradient you feel.

Each climb is timed from its foot to its top, and your best time on each is kept under Progress. There is even a badge for riding the Cauberg ten times.