The great days of the Cycling World Cup in St. Johann in Tirol were a while ago - the races no longer attracted huge fields of participants. However, the road cycling races in various age categories, the mountain and airport sprint and the prize-giving ceremonies at the "Medal Plaza" near the municipality in St. Johann have been a permanent fixture in the St. Johann in Tirol region for the last 57 years. The cancellation of the Cycling World Cup in St. Johann is probably the final straw. However, the organiser does not want to completely rule out a new start at another location in the future.
The basic conditions for organising such an event have changed fundamentally: "Traffic has multiplied during this period, which makes finding routes or start and finish areas much more difficult," according to a statement from the tourism association Kitzbühel Alps - St. Johann. "It is simply no longer possible to get the necessary road closures approved," explains organiser Michael Baumann somewhat more clearly on the event's website.
Traditionally, the starts took place in the Wieshofermühle area. Last year, the event moved to the Bärnstetten area and this year even to Kirchdorf in the Litzlfelden area. After a serious crash in the finish sprint in 2024, there were discussions about the safety of the new finish area.
Fewer and fewer starters at the Cycling World Cup
The fact is that the number of participants has steadily decreased. Whereas 10 to 15 years ago there were 2,000 to 3,000 starters from all over Europe, today there are only very small fields of participants. In view of the fact that the event lasts several days, the effort involved was increasingly questioned. Looking at the results lists from August 2024, there were only 44 participants in the men's 110-kilometre race on 23 August, with around 100 men and women on the start line over 74 kilometres. Almost 200 men and women were classified in the time trial on 22 August and around 60 in the mountain sprint on 24 August.
"It was not easy for us to decide to cancel the Cycling World Cup. Unfortunately, the traffic situation no longer allows us to organise the event in the quality we wanted. We have responded to the challenges in recent years with various changes - from merging the age groups to relocating the start and finish area. All in all, however, this no longer corresponds to the concept and the idea we have of the Cycling World Cup. We regret the end of a long and enjoyable time, but we will remain as an organisation and try to find a location with less traffic so that we can hold the Cycling World Cup again," says organiser Michael Baumann, explaining the decision.
Serious accidents at the Cycling World Cup
In addition to many wonderful moments in the history of the races, there have also been sad events. At the 2013 Cycling World Cup, a participant from the Netherlands died when a car hit him head-on in a bend on the closed bike course. In 2009, a participant was also killed in an accident caused by an oncoming vehicle.
Kristian Bauer
Editor
