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In the footsteps of the first Tour of Austria in 1949, the 75th edition of Austria’s biggest cycling event is taking place. On July 9, the Lidl Tour of Austria will celebrate a premiere on the queen stage to the Großglockner, Kaiser-Franz-Josefs-Höhe: for the first time, Bad Kleinkirchheim in Carinthia is included in the stage plan!

The second stage of the Lidl Tour of Austria leads from Bad Kleinkirchheim to the Kaiser-Franz-Josefs-Höhe on the Großglockner and is considered the queen stage. The route begins with a fast, rolling ride through Carinthia, passing picturesque lakes such as Lake Ossiach, Lake Afritz, Lake Brenn, and Lake Millstatt – a true showcase for the region. Until Heiligenblut at the foot of the Großglockner, there are no major topographical challenges, but then the longest and most demanding climb of the Tour awaits. The ascent to the Kaiser-Franz-Josef-Höhe tests the riders with steep ramps and spectacular alpine panoramas. “This stage combines top-level athletic performance with Carinthia’s scenic beauty and will undoubtedly be a highlight of the race,” explains Paco Wrolich, former professional cyclist and cycling coordinator for Carinthia Tourism.

The start takes place on July 9 at 11:00 a.m. for the 188.8-kilometer stage, featuring 2,914 meters of elevation gain, at Kirchheimer Weg. The first mountain classification comes after 60 kilometers in Afritz am See, followed shortly after by the first sprint in Feld am See, home of the local Continental team ARBÖ Kärnten Sport Feld am See. Soon after, sprint points will again be contested in Millstatt am See, before another mountain classification follows after the Möllbrücke valley in Winklern. Twenty kilometers later, the professional cyclists reach Heiligenblut, where the long ascent to the Kaiser-Franz-Josefs-Höhe begins. After the Kasereck mountain classification (Category 1), there is also a summit finish classification at the highest category at 2,364 meters above sea level. The stage winner is expected from around 3:20 p.m.

“The route showcases what the Millstätter See – Bad Kleinkirchheim – Nockberge region stands for: sporting dynamism, landscape quality, and consciously experienced TIME. The Tour of Austria fits perfectly with our profile and is an ideal start to the summer season,” emphasizes regional manager Christian Stattmann. “We hope the Tour inspires many people to discover the region by bike themselves. The recognition by FOCUS E-BIKE as the most beautiful cycling region in the DACH region and northern Italy confirms this path.”

Great anticipation is also shared by Norbert Unterköfler, team manager of ARBÖ Kärnten Sport Feld am See: “This day will go down in the history of our cycling club and the municipality of Feld am See. Starting in our region with our own team at the Tour of Austria and riding through Feld am See is a dream come true for us. I can only invite the entire population to watch this spectacle live along the route! We want to present ourselves well on this stage, be part of the breakaway of the day, and our big goal is to win the sprint classification in our home municipality of Feld am See!” Mayor Matthias Krenn is also looking forward to the Tour: “In recent years, Bad Kleinkirchheim has successfully positioned itself as a mountain bike and cycling destination. With the Tour of Austria and our role as the start location of an international top-level race featuring national and international top teams, we have achieved another sporting highlight. We are proud to have been selected. This allows us to once again impressively showcase the beauty and diversity of our region. As a long-standing host of the ARBÖ cycling marathon, we have already demonstrated our strong affinity for cycling on many occasions.”