Only A Few Days Left Until The KitzAlpBike Festival
From June 28th to July 1st, the international mountain bike community will once again look to the Brixental. The 27th edition of the KitzAlpBike Festival is taking place these days. For four days, mountain bike professionals and hobby bikers can draw from a varied festival program . In addition to well-known formats, there are also new things to discover in the calendar in 2023. The KitzAlpBike mountain bike marathon on Saturday, July 1st is of course a real eye-catcher – one of the toughest but also most beautiful marathons of the racing season.
The KitzAlpBike mountain bike marathon has been calling its participants to the Kitzbühel Alps for over a quarter of a century. In 2023, too, the competition will be one of the highlights on the racing calendar. In one of the toughest, but also most beautiful long-distance races, there are four different distances - Medium (38 km, 1500 m altitude), Medium Plus (65 km, 2500 m altitude), Extreme (74 km, 3000 m altitude) and Ultra (86 km, 3600 m altitude) - over and through the unique mountain world of the Kitzbühel Alps. In addition to formidable climbs, the routes also offer fantastic single trails and a unique view of the local mountains. Every year, hundreds of spectators stand at the side of the track and whip the athletes forward with frenetic cheers on the "Streif der Mountainbiker". This year, too, all spectators have the opportunity to take the SkiWelt gondola lift up to the Choralpe hotspot in Brixen for free.
In addition to top-class racing, there is also a lot on offer on the festival site at the Fleckalmbahn in Kirchberg. In the Expo area, the manufacturers present the latest update in terms of mountain bike equipment.
Old but gold: the cult competition VAUDE HillClimb beckons
The KitzAlpBike Mountain Bike Festival starts on June 28th with another cult competition: the VAUDE HillClimb in Brixen im Thale . In its 14-year history, the event has long since developed into one of the largest and most popular mountain sprints in the German-speaking world. Every year, several hundred participants tackle the 5.5 kilometers from the village center to Hochbrixen . In addition to the local mountain sprint elite and professionals from the international marathon and cross-country scene, there are also amateur and hobby bikers from all over the world. In any case, one thing unites the riders on the 500 meters of altitude difference up to the finish at the Filzalmsee: burning calves, the full release of endorphins, and with hundreds of spectators along the route, a racing atmosphere that is second to none.
The newcomer in the competition calendar: Funduro Kirchberg
On June 30th, the KitzAlpBike Festival is about unpacking skills, stamina and the desire for a good portion of bike fun. As a newbie in the festival program, the Funduro Kirchberg will appear on the stage this Friday and offer one of the most entertaining and varied forms of mountain bike racing. The fun enduro race is divided into special tests (stages) in which the drivers compete against the clock. In between, challenging transfer stages without a time rating lead to the start of the next stage. The entire route amounts to 1000 meters in altitude for single starters. There is also the possibility to compete in teams of three . These divide the route: Stage 1 (red) - 450 meters in altitude, Stage 2 (blue) - 150 meters in altitude, Stage 3 (black) - 550 meters in altitude. The following applies: mixed teams only . Each squadron should consist of women and men.
Youngsters are challenged at the KitzAlpBike technical Kids Race
Also on Saturday, the KitzAlpBike Technical Kids Race is a novelty in the cross-country mountain bike scene. In the circuit race in the finish area at the Fleckalmbahn, the U7 to U19 classes compete over age-appropriate technical elements and obstacles. The wooden obstacles, jumps, and stone and root passages that have to be overcome not only challenge and promote the endurance, but above all the technical ability of the young bikers.
In terms of the sporting supporting program , a bike skill parcour awaits on the festival Thursday, June 29th , as part of the “Schau zuichi Markt” at the music pavilion in Westendorf. Technical skills are required here from 3.30 p.m.
