In exactly one week, the 75th edition of the Tour of Austria, one of the country’s most prestigious sporting events, gets underway. On July 12, 2026, the fifth and final stage will conclude in front of Vienna’s Burgtheater, where Austria’s top cycling hopes gathered today. Also present were two former professional cyclists whose brand RH77 will once again provide this year’s leader’s jerseys.
Starting in Styria on July 8, the Tour of Austria will travel through Carinthia, Tyrol, Salzburg, Upper Austria and Lower Austria before finishing in the Austrian capital after five stages, all of which will be broadcast live on ORF 1. Covering a total of 845 kilometres and 11,024 metres of elevation gain, the race features 22 teams of six riders each, including six UCI WorldTour teams. Joining Austria’s six Continental teams—ARBÖ Kärnten Sport Feld am See, Hrinkow Advarics, Schwingshandl Intralogistics, Team Vorarlberg, Tirol KTM Cycling Team and WSA KTM Graz—is an Austrian National Team for the first time since 2004. The six-man squad consists of Alexander Hajek, Valentin Hofer, Rainer Kepplinger, Hermann Pernsteiner, Sebastian Putz and Paul Verbnjak.
Vienna Hosts the Grand Finale Once Again
The last “Royal Sprint” on Vienna’s Ringstraße in front of the Burgtheater took place in 2014, when Marco Haller claimed victory. One year later, the venue hosted the race’s prologue time trial. On Sunday, July 12, the final stage starts in Langenlois with a local circuit before heading via Kirchberg am Wagram, featuring an intermediate sprint, through Tulln and Königstetten to the Hainbuch mountain classification. After descending through Mauerbach, the riders enter Vienna, where the new “75 Classification” will be contested near Schönbrunn Palace in honour of the late Wolfgang Steinmayr. The route then follows the Wienzeile and Opernring before the winners of the Lidl Tour of Austria are expected to cross the finish line in front of the Burgtheater from 3:45 p.m.
Gogl to Debut Austrian Champion’s Jersey
During today’s press conference at Café Landtmann, Tour Director Thomas Pupp welcomed Austria’s leading contenders for this year’s race.
Freshly crowned Austrian National Champion Michael Gogl (Alpecin–Deceuninck) is excited to wear the champion’s jersey on home roads:
“I’m incredibly proud to start in the national champion’s jersey. Becoming Austrian champion has always been a dream of mine, and racing the Tour of Austria in this jersey will be a real highlight. My goal is to carry the momentum and confidence from my victory into the race and show my best form. The last few weeks have gone perfectly, so I’m hoping for top results. Stages one, three and four should suit me particularly well, and I really like the course because there’s something for every type of rider.”
His fellow WorldTour rider Patrick Gamper (Team Jayco AlUla) is dreaming of a stage victory: “Winning a stage would be a dream, but I’ll also be happy if I can race aggressively and give the fans an exciting spectacle. I think the route is very balanced and offers opportunities for everyone. It’s great to see new host towns alongside classics like the Großglockner and the finish in Vienna. Personally, stage one suits me best.”
Former Austrian champion and track specialist Tim Wafler (Storck–MRW Bau) is especially looking forward to the finish in Vienna: “I’ve never managed to finish the Tour of Austria before, so my main goal is to make it all the way to Vienna. And if I do, I’d love to be in the mix for the finish. As a child, I watched so many stage finishes in front of the Burgtheater. Racing there myself has always been a childhood dream.”
Lidl-Trek’s Patrick Konrad, whose participation has long been confirmed, also shared his expectations: “After stage two with the summit finish on the Großglockner, we’ll have a first indication of the general classification. A strong stage result would already be a great achievement for me.”
The last Austrian overall winner of the Tour was Riccardo Zoidl in 2013. This year, the younger generation hopes to challenge for top results. Sebastian Putz, racing for the Red Bull–BORA–hansgrohe Rookies and the Austrian National Team, said: “We’re incredibly proud that Austria will once again field a national team at the Tour of Austria. It will definitely be one of the highlights of our season.” His teammate Alexander Hajek will captain the national squad, joined by experienced WorldTour rider Rainer Kepplinger (Bahrain Victorious). Another rider to watch is 23-year-old Philip Hofbauer (Team Vorarlberg), who impressed at last year’s Tour: “We have a strong team and want to measure ourselves against the WorldTour squads. The first two stages will probably shape the race. I’m particularly looking forward to the start in Graz because I have many great memories from my years studying there.”
RH77 Supplies the Leader’s Jerseys for the Second Consecutive Year
RH77 founder René Haselbacher and former professional rider Matthias Krizek both have fond memories of the Tour of Austria. Haselbacher won a stage in 2008, while Krizek wore several leader’s jerseys during his career. “Our connection to the Tour of Austria spans several generations,” says Haselbacher. “Today we’re no longer part of the race on the road, but behind the scenes as the official apparel partner.”
As equipment supplier to UCI Continental Team Schwingshandl Intralogistics, Haselbacher explains the design philosophy behind this year’s jerseys: “Our goal was to preserve the original design concept while integrating the characteristic RH77 approach. This includes optimised logo placement, carefully matched colours, elegant line-ups and combining modern design with a fit that meets the demands of elite international cycling. The jerseys represent what RH77 stands for: high-performance apparel where both performance and design are equally important. Our partnership with the Tour of Austria is especially meaningful because the race has been Austria’s most prestigious cycling event for decades. We’re delighted to continue this partnership, especially thanks to the excellent leadership of Tour Director Thomas Pupp and his team.”
Lidl Kids Cup Brings Cycling to the Next Generation
For many cyclists, their passion for the sport began while watching the Tour of Austria as children—first cheering from the roadside with their parents, and later riding their own bikes. This year, every stage will once again feature the Lidl Kids Cup, organised by Benedikt Oswald and his experienced Ergo School Race team. Children from balance-bike age up to the Under-13 category can participate. Lidl Austria will provide fresh fruit and healthy snacks to keep the young riders energised. Road bikes will also be available for test rides, and every participating child will receive a prize. The Lidl Kids Cup in Vienna takes place on July 12 from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. in the finish area in front of the Burgtheater.
Further information and registration are available at www.tourofaustria.com.
And perhaps the best part: entry is completely free of charge.
