(c)WOM_Medien-Andreas_Meyer
The extensive MTB trail network in the Salzburger Sportwelt covers a good 500 kilometres. The majority of the 500 kilometres of MTB trails can easily be ridden on e-MTBs. E-bikes and e-MTBs can be hired in all 7 holiday resorts. The extensive network of charging stations ensures that the batteries are always full.
Parts of the 580-kilometre Tauern & Enns Cycle Path also run right through the Salzburger Sportwelt. A real highlight is the 250 kilometre-long Enns Cycle Path, one of the most beautiful river cycle paths in Austria. The scenic Tauern Cycle Path along the Salzach river, on the other hand, is a more informal route.
THE NEW STONEMAN TAURISTA
On 147 kilometres, over a massive 1,700 metres in altitude to breathtaking panoramas – the Stoneman Taurista takes you to lush alpine meadows, rustic mountain huts and the summit crosses of SalzburgerLand. It’s all about gold, silver or bronze! Nevertheless, everyone pulls together here. There is no competition here – rather a challenge! A challenge that every biker should face once in their life. And the colour of the stone that awaits you as a reward at the end of the tour depends on whether you complete the circuit in one, two or three days. Gold, silver or bronze!
NEW 2024: The Stoneman Taurista is even better with two new trails. And high above Kleinarl, the brand new checkpoint on the Penkkopf awaits the participants’ starter card.
GOLD, SILVER OR BRONZE?
Sporty mountain bikers will always opt for the gold version. Provided you are physically and mentally fit. Not everyone is up to this challenge. Those who complete it anyway can collect the golden stone after just one day in the saddle. After 123 kilometres through the Salzburger Sportwelt and Obertauern. A great achievement.
Let’s move on to silver: completing the circuit in two days is still a very sporting challenge. One that you as a biker can also be proud of. If you want to take it a little easier and spend two nights in the pretty towns along the way, opt for the three-day variant. This will earn you a bronze medal.
THE ROUTE
The Stoneman Taurista, which was officially opened on 7 July 2018, covers 147 kilometres and over 4,700 metres in altitude through the heart of the Pongau region in SalzburgerLand. The route takes bikers to many scenic highlights, beautiful single trails and, last but not least, cosy alpine huts for refreshments. The special thing about it is that it is not a race, but should be seen as a personal challenge that you can take on from the beginning of June to the end of September. The starting point is also up to you. Whether you start in Flachau, Wagrain-Kleinarl, Altenmarkt-Zauchensee, Radstadt, Forstau or Obertauern is completely irrelevant. All you need is a starter pack including the starter card to be punched at the checkpoints. This is available at the tourist offices and from the accommodation partners.
©Dennis Stratmann
147 MOUNTAINOUS KILOMETRES
The new route leads from Flachau via Wagrain to Vorderkleinarl and up to the Kleinarler Hütte. The route continues via the Penkkopf shared trail to the Kurzeggalm and via the Hirschleit trail back to Kleinarl. From there, the route continues out of the valley to the Brandstattweg, where the next ascent to the Lumberjackhütte awaits. Via Wagrain you finally reach Flachau again.
After a short breather, a strenuous climb up to the 1,768 metre high Rossbrand awaits. However, once you reach the summit and enjoy the panorama of around 150 mountains, including the Dachstein and Bischofsmütze, everything is blown away. You should think a little more about the saying on the summit cross ‘Lord God! D’Hoamat is beautiful!’ before getting back into the saddle.
CRISP: THE BRANDSCHARTE
A flowing trail takes you down to the Mandlberggut, where you should also take a short break. This is because the Warter family’s pretty estate is not only used to produce high-proof spirits. You can also fortify yourself here with home-made food. At the bottom in Mandling, the rest is already over. The crisp climb over the Brandscharte to Forstau will make even the fittest bikers break out in a sweat. Once you arrive in the village, you set off in search of one of the seven checkpoints along the Stoneman Taurista.
Pure idyll can now be found on the alpine pastures of Forstau-Winkel until you reach the Vögelalm. Then it gets really strenuous again until you have negotiated the steep hairpin bends up to the Oberhütte. The landscape up here once again shows a completely different side. Whereas not so long ago you were still travelling through alpine meadows, you can now marvel at the rugged peaks surrounding the crystal-clear Oberhüttensee lake. Here you are clearly in the Alps. Many people who do the Taurista in two or three days spend the night up here.
THE JOHANNES WATERFALL AS YOUR DESTINATION
What comes next is the highlight of the circular route. The royal stage. Now you cross the Tauern mountains. Trails, pushing and carrying passages included. At the top of the pass, you reach the highest point of the tour at an altitude of 2,110 metres. The descent to Obertauern is very technical and requires great attentiveness. Once you reach the bottom, the Johannes Waterfall is one of the most beautiful natural spectacles in the region. Over millions of years, the water has eaten into the rock and now reveals a narrow path that allows you to walk and look behind the cascading water.
©Dennis Stratmann
The rest of the route leads from Obertauern via the Gnadenalm down to Radstadt and finally Altenmarkt. Where a final ascent awaits the bikers. The sporty finale up to Sattelbauer. Here you should stop for a last break and reflect on what you have experienced. The fast trails then take you back to Flachau, where the coveted stones await. As I said: gold, silver or bronze?
All information about the Stoneman Taurista can be found at www.stoneman-taurista.com
RADSTADT BIKE DAYS
RADSTADT RIDES A BIKE
On 8 June 2024, the ‘Radstadt fährt Rad’ event not only heralds the start of the cycling season, but also marks the official start of the Stoneman Taurista season in Radstadt. This event brings together cycling enthusiasts to ride together on the roads and paths around Radstadt. After the group rides, participants and spectators gather in the town square for a raffle with attractive prizes: a high-quality bike and five gourmet packages sponsored by local farmers. Participation in the raffle is open to anyone who has actively taken part in the fox hunt or ‘Radstadt fährt Rad’.
FUCHSJAGD UP THE ROSSBRAND
On 9 June 2024, the day after ‘Radstadt fährt Rad’, the second edition of the Fuchsjagd up the Rossbrand will take place. In this challenge, one athlete will be sent up the 12-kilometre route as a ‘vixen’ with a head start. The participants chasing the vixen on e-bikes have the chance to win a share of the prize money of 1,500 euros in the form of catering vouchers for Radstadt restaurants if they successfully ‘hunt’ the vixen before the finish line.
AEROTHLON IN WAGRAIN-KLEINARL
The Aerothlon in Wagrain-Kleinarl on 6 July 2024 is a unique sporting challenge that combines the elements of speed hiking, paragliding and mountain biking in one competition. As the only event of its kind in Austria, the event offers participants the opportunity to compete in individual, duo team or trio relay configurations. An aerothlon exchange is available for those looking for partners for the competition. Spectators have the opportunity to either follow the action directly on site in Wagrain-Kleinarl or watch the athletes’ progress online via live tracking. This event stands out thanks to the interplay of different sports and offers both participants and spectators a dynamic and varied experience.
You can activate the display of this element via the button. By activating the integration, the browser exchanges data with the respective providers. The current page has no access or influence on the content, type, storage and processing of this data. By clicking on the button, you allow the cookie agreedtoyoutube, you can revoke this cookie under the privacy settings.
TOUR OF AUSTRIA 2024
The Tour of Austria, the legendary cycling tour of Austria, will once again be a guest in St. Johann im Pongau on 5 July 2024. More information will follow on the region’s website.
FLACHAU E-FESTIVAL 2024
The e-bike festival in Flachau from 9 to 11 August 2024 is an event that combines the natural beauty of the Alpine landscape with modern leisure culture. Over the course of a weekend, the festival offers a selection of activities ranging from music acts and guided e-bike tours to a variety of culinary offerings. Visitors have the opportunity to enjoy the atmosphere of summer beats in the midst of Flachau’s mountains, while exploring the local cuisine and embarking on e-bike adventures. The Flachau E-Festival aims to create a platform for relaxation and adventure by combining music, sport and gastronomy in a unique format. It stands for a new kind of enjoyment that offers an enriching experience through the combination of different experiences.
THE VOLKSWAGEN R GRAVELBIKE EXPERIENCE 2024
This gravel competition from 8 to 12 May 2024 will take place over three days from Fuschl am See to Weißensee across the Alps. One of the stages of the race, in which small groups will cover either 253 kilometres and 5,960 metres in altitude (classic) or 236 kilometres and 5,020 metres in altitude, will once again be in Filzmoos in the Salzburger Sportwelt on 9 May.