Classics and Top Events – burning calves between Großglockner and Dolomites

Nestled in a circle of three-thousand-meter peaks, East Tyrol lies on the southern side of the main Alpine ridge. The region is particularly well suited as a road cycling destination and training area because, on the one hand, it offers excellent road cycling terrain with very good infrastructure and modern accommodation facilities and, on the other hand, it also has a very pleasant climate thanks to the Mediterranean influence from Italy. Prices are affordable, so families can also find the best conditions for their cycling and active vacations. Despite these advantages, East Tyrol remains a place of tranquility. It only takes center stage in the international cycling scene during major road racing events such as the stages of the Giro d'Italia, the Tour of the Alps, or the Dolomites Cycling Tour with SuperGiroDolomiti. Whether you prefer hustle and bustle or peace and quiet, road cycling is becoming increasingly popular in East Tyrol. Nevertheless, you never get the feeling that the routes are overcrowded, as there is such a wide range of different tours on offer. And so you can ride undisturbed past lush green meadows, wooded mountain slopes, and rushing mountain streams. As East Tyrol has established itself as a true El Dorado for cyclists and is a popular destination for many cycling events, it is the perfect vacation spot for road cycling enthusiasts.

The Dolomites Cycle Tour: A real folk festival at the foot of the Lienz Dolomites
Since 1987, the traditional Dolomites Cycle Tour has been promoted as a tourist ride through Europe's most nature-friendly region. On the 112 km long Dolomites circuit, which involves climbing 1,870 meters, you can feel a touch of the great “Giro.” Numerous enthusiastic spectators cheer on the cyclists, and several bands play great marching music in honor of the participating guests from near and far.

You can find all the information about the event here.

SuperGiroDolomiti: Probably the most demanding cycling marathon in the entire Alpine region

For several years now, the SuperGiroDolomiti has been captivating many extreme athletes. The route also takes participants onto Italian soil and culminates at Monte Zoncolan, which has often been chosen as a stage destination for the Giro d'Italia. In total, the extreme version covers 5,450 meters of elevation gain and 228 kilometers.

You can find all the information about the event here.

Tour highlights for road bike fans
From a relaxing break to a training camp, almost every vacation wish can be fulfilled in East Tyrol. Here are four of our highlight tours: Start packing your bags for a long weekend getaway!

Staller Sattel-Round (150 km/ 1.847 hm)
Along the Iseltalradweg you cycle from Lienz to Huben. There, after a short climb, you reach the community of Hopfgarten. From here you cycle through the picturesque Defereggen valley to St. Jakob and Maria Hilf, where the ascent continues to the border crossing of Staller Sattel.  There you pass the border to Italy and descend via a narrow, winding route to the Antholz Valley in South Tyrol. From here it leads to Niederasen and Olang, before it goes via Toblach and Innichen along the Drava back to Lienz.

Glockner circuit (168 km/ 4,784 hm)
This loop is suitable for trained cyclists. From Lienz, you ride to the Tauern community of Matrei, from where you master the climb to the south portal of the Felbertauern Tunnel. There, a shuttle service is ready to transport the bikers and their bikes through the tunnel. On the north side of the Hohe Tauern, the route descends to Mittersill and from there to Zell am See before reaching the village of Bruck. Here begins the climb to the Hochtor, which demands all the strength of even the most trained. Then you roll over numerous serpentines to the Glockner community of Heiligenblut. On the leisurely stretch through the Mölltal you can recover once again before the short climb up to the Iselsberg. From there, the route descends back to Lienz.

Mölltal-Drautal-Round (122 km/ 1.465 hm)
On this tour, you start by cycling for a few minutes on a long straight stretch to Nußdorf-Debant before tackling the climb up to the Iselsberg. Once there, you have already reached the highest point of the loop and find a bit of relaxation on the winding descent to Winklern. The rest of the route leads through the Mölltal to Möllbrücke. There begins the way back via the Drau valley to Lienz. If you want to avoid the traffic on the B 100 here, you can also use the excellently developed Drau cycle path.