ORF will broadcast the final stages of all five stages of the anniversary edition on free-to-air TV. Tour director Thomas Pupp describes the live broadcast on ORF 1 as an accolade for the production. For viewers from Austria, broadcasting on TV is the easiest way. If you want to follow the race from Germany, you can watch the live stream on the website www.k19.at or the K19 YouTube channel. ORF began broadcasting the Tour of Austria live on television 60 years ago. The Glockner arrival with its dramas made ORF history. The tour started for the first time in 1949, and Graz was already a stage location back then.
The live stages on ORF 1
- Stage 1, Wednesday, 8 July: Graz - Gamlitz, 14:00 - 16:20, ORF 1
- Stage 2, Thursday, 9 July: Bad Kleinkirchheim - Franz Josefs Höhe/Großglockner, 13:30 - 15:40, ORF 1
- 3rd stage, Friday, 10 July: Lienz - St.Johann/Alpendorf, 13:00 - 15:25, ORF 1
- Stage 4, Saturday, 11 July: Steyr - Steyr, 15:00 - 17:10, ORF 1
- Stage 5, Sunday, 12 July: Langenlois - Vienna, 14:00 - 16:15, ORF 1
Tour of Austria with six WorldTeams
22 teams with six riders each will be at the start, two more than in previous years. The domestic Continental teams ARBÖ Kärnten Sport Feld am See, Hrinkow Advarics, Schwingshandl Intralogistics, Team Vorarlberg, Tirol KTM Cycling Team and WSA KTM Graz are taking part. For the first time since 2004, an Austrian national team will also be taking part.
Alpecin-Premier Tech, EF Education-EasyPost, INEOS Grenadiers, Lidl-Trek, Jayco AlUla and UAE Team Emirates-XRG make up the WorldTeam line-up. Last year's winner Isaac del Toro will ride for UAE Team Emirates-XRG. Continental teams from Germany, Italy, Norway, Sweden, Poland and the Czech Republic complete the field.
Tour of Austria kick-off in Graz
The team presentation will take place on 7 July from 18:30 on Mariahilfer Platz in Graz. The first stage also starts in Graz on 8 July and leads over 188 kilometres to Gamlitz on the South Styrian Wine Route. Christoph Resl, team manager of WSA KTM Graz, expects the hilly roads of western Styria to be followed by tough climbs in the finale. According to Resl, the decision will be made on the final lap in Rebenland, where a mountain classification awaits shortly before the finish.
Three new stage locations are on the programme: Gamlitz, Bad Kleinkirchheim and Langenlois. Tour director Thomas Pupp presented the route at the Kunsthaus Graz. The route combines traditional stage locations with new areas.
Queen's stage up the Großglockner
The second stage of the Tour of Austria starts in Bad Kleinkirchheim and ends after 188.8 kilometres and 2,914 metres of altitude difference at Franz Josefs Höhe on the Grossglockner. The route leads via Möllbrücke and Heiligenblut to the long ascent of the Grossglockner High Alpine Road. Paco Wrolich, former professional cyclist and cycling coordinator for Kärnten Werbung, describes the start as a fast, undulating ride past Ossiachersee, Afritzersee, Brennsee and Millstättersee.
There are no major topographical challenges until Heiligenblut at the foot of the Großglockner. The ascent to Franz Josefs Höhe challenges the riders with steep ramps. Wrolich describes the climb as the longest and most demanding of the tour.
From Lienz to St. Johann/Alpendorf
The third stage of the Tour of Austria 2026 starts in Lienz and leads over 188.7 kilometres to St. Johann/Alpendorf in the Snow Space Salzburg. From the main square in Lienz, the peloton completes two laps of the Lienz valley floor with a sprint in front of the new railway station. The leading group of the day forms on the long climb to the Felbertauern tunnel. From Mittersill via Wagrain and Bischofshofen to the finish in St. Johann/Alpendorf, the 16th stage of the Tour.
Steyr stage with the Porscheberg
The fourth stage starts and finishes in Steyr, covering 170.5 kilometres and 2,311 metres in altitude. Felix Großschartner won last year on the main square in front of thousands of spectators. Dominik and Alexander Hrinkow from Team Hrinkow Advarics are responsible for the route. The anniversary edition starts on a Saturday on the town square.
The first sprint is held in the spa town of Bad Hall. The route continues via Kirchdorf to Vorderstoder for the first mountain classification, before heading back to Steyr via the Ski World Cup town of Hinterstoder. The stage finale with the Porscheberg promises excitement right up to the last second.
Tour of Austria finale in Vienna in front of the Burgtheater
The fifth stage of the Tour of Austria starts in Langenlois and finishes in Vienna after 109 kilometres and 758 metres of climbing. Vienna was last on the tour schedule in 2017, with Marco Haller winning on the Ring in front of the Burgtheater in 2014. Langenlois celebrates a tour premiere. The start flag drops in the historic town centre with its vineyards and picturesque squares.
From Langenlois, the route leads over short, crisp climbs past vineyards along the Danube to the big city. OC boss Rupert Hödlmoser is expecting a sprint royal. The overall standings have probably been decided at this point, but the teams are fighting for the prestigious stage.
Kristian Bauer
Editor
