In the 16-year history of the Race Around Austria p/b evileye eyewear, there has never been a more astonishing result: the women dominated the long distances. Elena Roch from Lower Austria was two hours faster than the best man over the 2200 kilometre extreme route around Austria.
Mudslides on the Arlberg, tropical heat and heavy rain, the likes of which are rarely experienced in Austria. The weather made for difficult racing conditions for the participants at the 16th edition of the Race Around Austria. Last Monday, over 100 participants from all over Europe took part in the various distances. The premier class is the RAA Extreme, which runs clockwise around Austria over 2200 kilometres and 30,000 metres in altitude.
Roch secures victory
Elena Roch from Lower Austria secured victory two hours ahead of the fastest man. She crossed the finish line after four days and two hours. The German ultra-cyclist Sebastian Mayr reached the finish line of the Race Around Austria after 4 days, 3 hours and 58 minutes. The race was particularly tough this year due to the weather: "We all experienced what you wouldn't wish for in ultracycling. The weather demanded everything from us. I myself fought my way to the finish with a shermens neck, a total fatigue in the neck area, with the last of my strength; you ride like you're drunk on the bike. I had so many phases where I thought about the end. But the RAA is so special with the great atmosphere and the many fans around Austria. That really gave me and my team a lot of strength," said Sebastian Mayr at the finish. The second fastest man and third overall was Marcel Gafner from Switzerland (4d 4h 27min). A prominent former athlete also reached the finish line: Italian Olympic fencing champion Dorina Vaccaroni started the RAA Extreme. The 60-year-old finished third with a time of 5 days 13 hours and 23 minutes. However, this was almost ten hours slower than last year
Women's victory in Race Around Austria1500
The Race Around Austria 1500 is the entry-level race for the extreme variant and runs over 1,500 kilometres. While no men reached the finish line, only one female participant, Lilian Kuster from Switzerland, did. She needed 3 days 3 hours and 36 minutes to cover the distance. "The RAA 1500 starters in particular caught the full brunt of the capricious weather. Chapeau that Lilian made it," says organising committee boss Michael Nußbaumer.
Team of four secures championship title at the Race Around Austria
The best team of four and therefore Austrian champion was Team Dreihans p/b Holz Resch with a journey time of 2 days 9 hours and 26 minutes. Christoph Löffler, Christoph Filz, Tobias Löffler and Stefan Paster were given a fitting welcome at the finish line by the numerous spectators on the main square in St. Georgen im Attergau! The team from Upper Austria won almost exactly two hours ahead of the Sport Streicher Racing Team, with the men from Hemetsberger Dach @ Asphalt Tigers coming third.
Ultracycling World Championships in Austria for the first time
Austria will become the centre of ultra cycling in 2025 and 2026. The World UltraCycling Association (WUCA) announced shortly before the start of the RAA 2024 that the World Championships will be held in the next two years as part of the Race Around Austria with the start and finish in St. Georgen im Attergau. With its great successes of numerous top stars over several decades, Austria is hosting the World Championships in ultra cycling for the first time.
Kristian Bauer
Editor
