The most important cycling marathon in the Alps enters its 42nd edition. Officially 227 kilometres and 5500 metres in altitude have to be mastered. Ten former winners are back and there are other top favourites. At the unusual date in July, up to 4,000 men and women will take on the familiar course in Sölden. Cyclists from 36 nations and five continents will tackle the challenge.
The route of the Ötztal Cycle Marathon
The Ötztal Cycle Marathon has become a classic in the Alps thanks to its route. The charming change of scenery, from valleys to high alpine terrain, contributes to the unique atmosphere. The four passes in particular - the Kühtaisattel, Brenner Pass, Jaufen Pass and the Timmelsjoch with 1724 metres of altitude difference in one stretch - open up a unique panorama. Great impressions for the spectators too. There are a number of spots along the route to follow the competition and sporting spirit, including the ups and downs of emotions, at close quarters. The live experience is also a real highlight online. From 6.15 am to 9.30 pm, there will be 15 hours of live coverage from the course and from the ÖRM TV studio.
Germany leads the nation statistics for the Ötztaler Cycle Marathon 2023 with 52.8 per cent, followed by Austria (21.6 per cent), Italy (15.9 per cent), Switzerland (2.7 per cent) and the Netherlands (2.0 per cent). The local heroes are also strongly represented: 100 men and women from the Ötztal are competing. The age range extends from 1943 to 2005 and the fascination of the Ötztal Cycle Marathon is reflected in the high proportion of "repeat offenders". 15 participants have been taking part for over 20 years.
The field of participants in the 2023 Ötztal Cycle Marathon includes German ultrarunning pro Florian Neuschwandner, former Austrian biathlon athlete Dominik Landertinger and the Austrian overall World Cup winner in the Nordic combined, Johannes Lamparter. Former ski jumper Andreas Goldberger will also be taking part this year.
Ten former winners at the start
When the starting gun is fired in Sölden at 6.30am on Sunday, ten former winners will be there: Jack Burke and Catherine Rossmann (both 2022), Johnny Hoogerland, Stefano Cecchini, Bernd Hornetz, Holger Sievers, Christina Rausch, Ekkehard Dörschlag, Monika Dietl and Enrico Zen.
For OC boss Dominik Kuen, however, not only the former winners are among the favourites, the Ötztaler also attracts many other strong racers: "I have Paul Verbnjak, one of the best World Cup ski mountaineers in the world, at the top of my list. Also the strong mountain racers Hans-Jörg Leopold and the only 18-year-old Tyrolean Jonas Holzknecht. I would like to see an amateur as the winner. Like last year's runner-up Dominik Salcher, who came out of nowhere and surprised everyone. In the women's race, I'm reckoning on the Hamburg perennial winner Christina Rausch and her compatriot and last year's winner Catherine Rossmann."
But there are also a number of strong amateurs beyond the expert tips of the organising committee head, such as the arm amputee Patrick Hagenaars, who has experience of the podium as third at the Ötztaler Cycle Marathon. Daniel Rubisoier, one of the big names on the local marathon scene, is also always good for top performances, as are Martin Ludwiczek and long-distance specialist and MTB crack Lukas Kaufmann from Upper Austria. In the women's race, the Belgian Ils van der Moeren, who recently set a fantastic best time at SuperGiroDolomiti, and the German Monika Fritz are certainly among the favourites. And perhaps the young Styrian Jana Gigele, who is predicted to have a great future, can surprise everyone!
In a series, we accompanied a TOUR reader as he prepared for the Ötztaler Cycle Marathon. A family man, 50 years old and very busy at work, has set himself the goal of finishing the Ötztaler Cycle Marathon for the first time. You can read the series about hobby cyclist Joe Ramming and his transformation into a training pro here:
Race preparation
Mountain training
Nutrition
Bikefitting
Start of the season
Kristian Bauer
Editor
