Ultracycling World Championship 2025: Steinberger and Roch take victory in the Race Around Austria

The 17th edition of the Race Around Austria (RAA) will go down as one of the toughest in history. At the ultra-cycling world championship, which was held in Austria for the first time and covered 2,200 kilometres and 30,000 metres of altitude around the Alpine republic, extreme heat and sleep deprivation caused the favourites to die out. In the end, Rainer Steinberger from Germany won the men's race and Elena Roch from Lower Austria won the women's race. Steinberger reached the finish in St. Georgen im Attergau after 3 days, 17 hours and 4 minutes, defending the world championship title he won last year at the Race Around Poland. The 49-year-old from the Upper Palatinate, who already won the Race Around Austria in 2021, benefited from the retirement of several favourites. Reigning European champion Dominik Meierhofer crashed in Burgenland after falling asleep for a second, while last year's winner Sebastian Mayer and Rudi Steinbichler also had to retire. Tyrolean Frederic Pasqualini, who had been leading for a long time, was also unable to withstand the sleep deprivation and retired.

Race Around Austria: Successful tactics from Steinberger

"I really wanted to ride faster this year, but I missed my record by almost two hours due to the brutal conditions. From a tactical point of view, I certainly rode better than everyone else. They broke away at the front like flies. My race really started from the Kühtai. It was brutally difficult because of the heat, but double world champion doesn't sound bad now," explained Steinberger at the finish. It was the German's third victory in his fourth RAA start. Second place went to Michael Hofer from Mühlviertel with a time of 3 days, 20 hours and 47 minutes. The 42-year-old caretaker from Julbach, who already won the RAA 1500 in 2023, confirmed that he is one of the world's best. "It was my first time in the Race Around Austria and I never looked at the result. I wanted to ride a strong race for myself - and I succeeded," said the delighted new runner-up at the finish.

Race Around Austria: Elena Roch triumphs despite a crash

In the women's category, the Lower Austrian living in Inzing Elena Roch through. The 32-year-old, who started the Race Around Austria on her birthday, reached the finish line after 3 days, 22 hours and 57 minutes, almost three hours faster than when she won last year. Particularly noteworthy: Roch survived a serious crash on the descent from Dientner Sattel to Bischofshofen, around 100 kilometres before the finish. "It was a fast descent and almost at the bottom I missed a pothole and somersaulted over the handlebars. My support staff immediately checked the injuries and whether the bike was still rideable. The time trial rider was broken, but after a makeshift medical treatment for the abrasions on her hands, fingers and chin, we decided to continue," reported Roch, who had to go to the rescue centre at the finish instead of the champagne shower, where her chin was stitched up.

Extreme stress due to heat and lack of sleep

The world champion, who had already won the European title this year, only slept for 2 hours and 45 minutes during the entire race. "It was mentally really tough in the first half, especially the flat, monotonous part in Burgenland. The big challenge this year was definitely the heat. But my team did a great job and always cooled me down well," said Roch after her triumph. Second place in the women's category went to the German Tina Büttner with a time of 3 days, 23 hours and 45 minutes. In the overall standings, Roch finished third in the Race Around Austria behind Steinberger and Hofer. "Crossing the finish line in St. Georgen, where I was accompanied by a motorbike with the Austrian flag, was very emotional. So much has happened in the last four days, I have to process it all now," summarised the world champion.

Race Around Austria team rankings

The winners were also crowned in the team rankings of the Race Around Austria. Race Across America riders Markus Brandl and Lukas Kaufmann from Team sportplusmedizin came out on top in the two-man team category with a time of 3 days and 31 minutes. "We harmonised very well and changed every 40 minutes. After the RAAM this year, it was a big strain, but it went better from hour to hour and I found a good rhythm again," explained two-time RAAM runner-up Lukas Kaufmann. The Highwood-RCC-Racing team consisting of Markus Geier, David Zechleitner, Dominik Zechleitner and Peter Huber won the four-man classification with a time of 2 days, 13 hours and 33 minutes.

From heavyweight to ultracycling champion

Simon Harringer wrote a special success story at the RAA 1500, the shortened version of the Race Around Austria over 1,500 kilometres. The Ampflwanger won his premiere with a time of 2 days, 12 hours and 13 minutes. Harringer, who is trained by Max Kinzlbauer - the same coach who looks after world champion Elena Roch - has undergone a remarkable transformation. "I was very sporty as a child, but in my youth I let myself go by going out, drinking and smoking. I then bought a bike with my first salary and changed everything - to sport and healthy eating. I've been riding ultra races for two years now and I'm absolutely delighted with this victory, it was the perfect race for me," reported Harringer, who only slept for an hour once during the entire race and just 20 minutes on the last night.