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BIG Review 2009
Austrian tours – in East- and South-Tirol
György DOMONKOS
In the end of 2007. some of my
friends and I planned a few
days Austrian cycling tour in
2008. We decided to see a
stage of the Giro d’Italia, so the
date of the tour would be the
end of May. Gábor Kreicsi, our
tour organizer
planned a program,
that suited our
requirements. On the
26th of May was
planned a stage of the
Giro to the Kronplatz
(Plan de Corones),
that was a time trial
stage to the hill. The
way of the race went
close to the Passo
Furcia (BIG 709).
On 23th of May we
woke up early and we
began our long way to
Austria. We broke our travel
near Katschberg (BIG 643),
because this top was our first
goal of our tour. We parked the
car in St. Margarethen and
departed our short tour to the
Katschberg. The weather was
very changeable, once was
raining, after the sun shone and
the air was cool. First we went
along a river on a cycling road
to the St. Michael im Lungau.
Here we arrived at the main
road and began the slope to the
hill. From here the slope was
hard, about 15 % during few
kilometres, but we arrived at
the top soon. The hight of
Katschberg is 1641 m and here
there is a winter resort. We
took some photos and went
back to our car. The short tour
was 24 km long and
heightdifference was 670 m.
We continued our travel and
evening we arrived at our base
near Sillian, it was the
Apartman Tyrol, a typical
Austrian guesthouse.
Next day morning we drove to
Huben, here was our start point
of this day. Our first trip was
planned to Staller Sattel (BIG
623), so we had to go about 36
km to the top from Huben and
waited for us 1200 m level.
First we went in a nice valley
with a mountain stream.
Farther we saw the snowy
mountains. The last 10 km was
difficult enough, we rode up
higher and higher. Here the
mountains were covered by
snow and once I arrived at a
little lake, in that the water had
frozen. I soon arrived at the
top, it was the Staller Sattel
2052 m above the sea, so this
place was my new highest
point. Here was cool enough,
so we put on some warm
clothes, and we started our way
back. Our way back was faster
and when we arrived at the car
we ate and drank a little before
96
we started our second tour of
this day. Our goal was the
Neues-Lucknerhaus (BIG 626).
This place there is in the
mountains near the
Grossglockner. First the slope
was about 10 %, than it became
easier. The countryside was
beautiful, we saw a nice
waterfall too. When we arrived
at Kals the slope
becam harder. From
here the distance
was about 7 km to
the top, but we had
to go up 600 m.
When I arrived at
the top I didn’t stop,
I went to the car
parking. The top of
the Grossglockner
was covered by
clouds, so I couldn’t
see the top. After we
were at rest a little in
the hütte, than we
went to back the car. This trip
was 41 km long and the level
was 1200 m.
The third day was our
guesthouse the base. We started
from here with our bikes
forward the Hochstein. We
went on the main road to Thal
and here we turned left. First
the slope was about 10 % and
we arrived a crossing. Gábor
took some photos and I had a
mistake, because I went
straight, but we had to go right
to Hochstein. I thought my
friends would follow me, so I
pushed the pedals. I went alone
roughly 6 km, when I started
worry about my friends. I
asked a man how far the
Hochstein and he said this road
was wrong. I had to go back to
the crossing. Fortunately, the
way back was down, so I
arrived at the crossing soon. I
started my way up to the hill
again. When I arrived the next
village, Bannberg, I saw, that
the slope became hard enough.
From her to Hochstein was 6
km and the level was 700 m.
My bike have only 18 gear, so