Thoughts of
Austria
inevitably evoke visual images of towering snowcapped mountains,
high alpine meadows, deep valleys, tall tumbling waterfalls, and
distant peaceful lakes. Austria is Europe’s most mountainous
country, and the biggest peaks are found in the
Tirol, Voralberg, and Salzburgerland provinces. These
mountains form the backbone of the country of which they are
part.
When
you think of
Austria,
winter sports come to mind, as Austria is the birthplace of
modern skiing and the home of countless alpine Olympic medal
winners. During the season skiers from all over the world are
drawn to these beautiful snow covered slopes. But in the
summer, there is another great alpine sport - cycling. Once
the high passes are opened, the roads belong to the cyclists.
Austria does
not have a
national bike race, like the Tour de France, with its Alpe d’Huez and Tourmalet, or
 Italy’s Giro, with its Stelvio,
Sella and Pordoi passes, and so Austria’s passes are
mostly
unknown - no household names here. But do not be fooled; these
are some of the most majestic, most scenic, most awe inspiring
bike routes in all of Europe. You will be astonished by the
beauty of the Kühtai-pass and Silvretta Hochalpenstrasse.
Timmelsjoch and Jaufenpass will test your endurance while
stunning your senses with spectacular views. We'll also touch
the Dolomites on our way to tackle
Austria’s
highest pass, the stunningly beautiful Grossglockner
Hochalpenstrasse.
There is more
to this Tirolean adventure than challenging cycling and
incredible scenery. Austria has an interesting history of
conquest and defeat, of domination and subjugation, from a
position of dominate rule over large parts of
Europe to finally becoming a small, stable, yet happy and vibrant
country. The Tiroleans are proud of their culture, which is not
only influenced by its history, but more importantly shaped by
the alpine setting of
Austria.
After a solid day of riding, you will be treated by the
legendary hospitality, warmth and friendliness of the
Austrians. You will spot traditional dress, lederhosen and
feathered huntsman’s hats. You will taste uniquely Tirolean
dishes like gröstl and knödel, as well as a wide variety of
international cuisine. You will visit beautiful alpine villages
with their onion domed churches and narrow cobbled streets
beneath flower decked balconies.
This tour is
not only one of our most challenging, but one of our most
scenic. Patrik and Angela Etschmayer, our Swiss and Austrian
guides, have helped us lay out a wonderful route using many of
the scenic, awe-inspiring routes they have ridden for years.
The nicely situated hotels and hearty meals will be some of the
best Austria has to offer. And as Patrik always says about his
part of the world, the scenery will be almost unbearably
beautiful.
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