Stage 5: Flachau – St. Michael im Lungau

A wild mix. The Obertauern Pass can be rough going at times. You just have to get over it. But in between, there are so many gems to simply enjoy.

Stage 5 is the longest and perhaps also the most varied. This applies both to the impressions you can soak up on the right and left of the route. But it also applies to the road surface, because everything is there, from smooth, ironed roads to rough sections. The latter, however, are more like homeopathic doses: ‘... rough going at times’ is what it says in the introduction, but don't worry, these sections are really very short.

At the Johannesfall, the bike has to be carried steeply uphill for a distance of 150 metres. Shortly afterwards, there is a rough section with stones and roots to overcome. Get on and off your bike! Close your eyes and go for it! Length: around 400 metres. That's it, the rest is the finest terrain for cycling, such as on the first mountain of the day above Altenmarkt and Radstadt: here, small roads and forest paths of the highest quality await. And a last glance over to the majestic crown of the Dachstein massif. Only then does the Obertauern Pass have to be conquered. And for that, the racing cyclist's heart can beat faster when a few kilometres have to be pedalled on the road – or are allowed to be. But a few of the finest gravel tracks of the whole week ensure that it doesn't get boring. The Taurach Cycle Path winds its way from Radstadt to Untertauern along the riverbank and is a romantic idyll. The flat path from the „Vordere Gnadenalm“ to the „Hintere Gnadenalm“ and further on to the Johannesfall traverses an almost kitschy postcard cliché of an alpine landscape. Enchanting!

After descending from the Obertauern Pass, the valley road from Tweng to Mauterndorf claims the gravel crown: initially slightly sloping, great for cruising, later a little hilly: a sensation! It leads directly into Mauterndorf, whose historic town centre promises a cultural wow experience. Beautifully restored, kept in top condition, rating: valuable. And a short detour to the castle, just a stone's throw from the centre, is also worthwhile. Then it's time to roll. Mostly on the cycle path, it's still a few kilometres to St. Michael down in the Mur valley. But even that won't be boring. You can already familiarise yourself with the Lungau, the region of the last stage. Gentle hills, wide valleys... but more about that in stage 6.