Cycling Where the Elite Train

High-alpine passes, scenic panoramic roads, and international cycling races like the Tour of the Alps or the SuperGiroDolomiti—Osttirol has long enjoyed cult status in both the national and international cycling scenes. The variety of training options attracts professionals and amateurs alike.

Yet the region remains authentic and laid-back, as the variety of options is so vast that even classic routes are never overcrowded. Mountain bikers, too, find ideal conditions on certified trails and in bike parks. Whether it’s basic endurance, high-altitude, or technical training—Osttirol offers active cyclists more than 600 kilometers of official cycling routes.

Nestled in the mountainous landscape south of the main Alpine ridge, Osttirol—with its quiet side valleys, challenging high-Alpine roads, and grueling mountain pass routes—offers all the ingredients for a cyclist’s paradise. This is one of the main reasons why ambitious amateurs and professionals alike use the combination of long climbs, technical descents, and flat stretches through unspoiled valleys as a training ground.

Moreover, Osttirol’s climate could hardly be better for cyclists: the Mediterranean influence ensures warmer temperatures than in comparable mountain regions starting as early as early summer. With legendary routes such as the Glockner Round (180 kilometers and 4,700 meters of elevation gain), the Staller Sattel Loop (150 kilometers/1,840 meters of elevation gain), or the panoramic road " Pustertaler Höhenstraße " (30 kilometers/1,300 meters of elevation gain), cyclists can work on both their endurance and their climbing strength—another plus for the region.

This is because high-altitude training has been proven to have a positive effect on physical performance. Since the oxygen content in the air decreases at altitudes of approximately 1,500 meters and above, the body must produce more red blood cells to improve oxygen uptake, which leads to better endurance performance in the long term. At the same time, the increased physical strain stimulates the muscles and the cardiovascular system more intensely.

In addition to ambitious cyclists, international teams such as Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe and, this past spring, the XDS Astana team have also repeatedly taken advantage of this positive effect. In recent years, the Alpine region itself has also produced remarkable cycling talents who are achieving impressive successes on the international stage.

Felix Gall, for example, who hails from Nußdorf-Debant, caused a sensation at the 2023 Tour de France. As a member of Team AG2R Citroën, he won the grueling 17th stage, which took riders over several high-altitude mountain passes. He also secured third place in the mountains classification.

The Tour of the Alps on April 21 will kick off a series of high-profile cycling events in 2025. The 48th edition of this cross-border route will cover five stages from San Lorenzo in Trentino to Lienz. The final two days of this extremely demanding tour—covering 739 kilometers and 14,700 meters of elevation gain—will take place in Osttirol. Felix Gall is also expected to be part of the top-notch field of competitors. The Osttirol resident plans to make his comeback in his home region in 2022 as captain of his French team, AG2R.

A special challenge awaits extreme athletes on June 8, 2025, at the 10th SuperGiroDolomiti, which is considered one of the most demanding cycling marathons in the Alps. After an early morning start at the Dolomitenstadion in Lienz, the looped course covers 228 kilometers and a grueling 5,450 meters of elevation gain. Three hours later, amateurs and professionals will be pedaling hard in one of Austria’s oldest cycling marathons, the Dolomitenradrundfahrt —a 112-kilometer race with 1,870 meters of elevation gain around Lienz. The route includes climbs such as the Gailberg and the Kartitscher Sattel.

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