Road bike tours: The most beautiful routes on Lake Wörthersee

Johnny Hoogerland once achieved world fame when he was hit by a car during the 2011 Tour de France and brutally crashed into the barbed wire. Today, the former professional cyclist hosts cyclists from all over the world in his guesthouse in Velden am Wörthersee - and shows TOUR the most beautiful tours in his new home

According to the holiday portal "Ab in den Urlaub", Germans either travel to Mauritius or the Maldives on their honeymoon. And our friendly neighbours from Holland? They cycle from Passau to Carinthia. At least that's what former professional cyclist Johnny Hoogerland did with his wife Gerda Koops. In 2017, the newly in love couple first cycled to Zell am See, then to Lofer, then on to Bad Gastein. They finished in Velden am Wörthersee. Gerda, who had already been ice-skating on the nearby Weissensee lake several times in winter with her ice-skating-loving family, particularly liked it there. It lies at an altitude of 930 metres. This makes it Austria's highest bathing lake - but at the end of January it is also always the venue for the alternative Elf-Steden-Tocht, one of the biggest ice sports spectacles organised by the Dutch. Johnny and Gerda agreed on Lake Wörthersee so that their children would have a better connection. But when Gerda gets a hankering for the ice, she travels to Lake Weissensee.

Racing bike paradise Wörthersee

But skating is not Johnny Hoogerland's thing. He prefers to stay in his "racing bike paradise". Wait a minute. Lake Wörthersee a racing bike paradise? "Everyone knows the Pyrenees, the Dolomites and the French classics like Mont Ventoux or Col du Galibier," says Johnny as we sit in the garden of his "Pension Hoogerland". He and his wife opened their holiday home in 2018 and have been hosting cyclists from all over the world ever since.

Many amateur athletes want to cycle with the man who achieved world fame at the 2011 Tour de France - albeit unfortunately not with a sporting best. It happened during stage 9 when Hoogerland was hit by a TV station's support vehicle: He went off the road, crashed into a barbed wire fence and rolled over. It happened so quickly, Hoogerland recalls, that he couldn't even scream. Although he felt sick to his stomach when he saw the deep lacerations in his flesh, he carried on riding. "That was my first Tour de France, I wasn't going to let a crash stop me," says the now 42-year-old. Of course he was in pain, but he was still able to pedal. They patched him up at the finish line. With a total of 33 stitches. He then wore the mountain jersey at the finish in Saint-Flour. "The toughest pro of the Tour" was the headline in Bild the next day.

Favoured by the sun

The Dutchman really isn't one to let anything stop him. Not even in 2013, when he was once again hit by a car during training on the Spanish Costa Blanca: his lung was perforated, five ribs broken, a concussion and a five-centimetre tear in his liver. That's what the medical records said. Today, these are the stories that cycling fans want to hear from him again and again. But is that enough of a reason why so many people come to cycle on Lake Wörthersee? He takes a deep breath, as if his answer will take a little longer. Firstly, the weather here really is outstanding. Johnny is right. On average, the sun shines 2,184 hours a year on Lake Wörthersee.

Then the tours are more varied than anywhere else. "Here you can ride 100 kilometres with 500 metres of elevation gain, but also 50 with 3,000 metres of elevation gain," he says. Simply round the lake, up and down again and again. Hoogerland calls this the "toughest zig-zag tours in the world". I didn't know that. The main thing I knew about Lake Wörthersee was that celebrities such as Fiona Swarovski, folk rocker Andreas Gabalier and billionaire Ingrid Flick reside here. They love the warmest Alpine lake in Europe, as do Hollywood star John Travolta and actress Liz Hurley.

Tireless kilometre collector

How many kilometres does the former professional cyclist still ride himself on the "zig-zag tours"? Not as many as in his active days. That was usually around 32,000 kilometres a year. "Those days are over," he says. Today, he is only a hobby rider, clocking up "just 27,000 kilometres". What? 27,000 kilometres? That's enough, says Hoogerland, to win the Ötztaler Cycle Marathon, as he did in 2021, and also to keep up with some other Granfondos. However, he is no longer as ascetic as he used to be, as his life now has other priorities. He gets up at half past five in the morning and prepares breakfast for his guests. When they ask him if he would like to go for a ride, he rarely says no. "I love cycling," he says. "I love cycling without pressure even more," he adds with a laugh. And the former Tour de France mountain jersey holder is particularly fond of the steep climbs on Lake Wörthersee.

He agrees with the Austrian alpine rocker Hubert von Goisern. Both Hoogerland and von Goisern could not imagine living in a flat country. "Holland is nice. But the landscape lacks a third dimension. I have realised that a completely flat landscape makes me depressed. Without mountains, I become melancholy in the long run," the musician once said. This is certainly due to the fact that he grew up in the mountains. They draw his spirit upwards. Hoogerland also finds it liberating to stand "up there" above things in order to get an overview of "down there".

Zig-zag tours

Now Johnny finally wants to show me one of his "zig-zag" tours. I want to know exactly where we're going. "Nothing there," he says. He promises me a unique tour, I should just let myself be surprised. He succeeds. As soon as we leave his guesthouse, the road climbs steeply after 50 metres. "What are you doing now?" I ask him. Johnny laughs: "You didn't think so, did you?" No, I didn't expect that. That's not even possible, I think. According to his computer, we're driving uphill at ten kilometres per hour. I want to know from Johnny what speed he normally drives up here. "Mei, not much faster. Usually about 20, 22 kilometres," he says. That's twice as fast as we're travelling right now. Thank you!

In the middle of cranking, he tells me that although he thinks the high-tech stuff for route planning is all very well, he has created a Leitz folder with the best tours on Lake Wörthersee. It contains the "absolute treats", Johnny claims. Not on Strava and Komoot. Why should he, asks hotel manager Hoogerland, make his best tours, which he has compiled himself over the years, available for free? I shouldn't misunderstand him, he says. Of course he is happy to share his cycling happiness with others. But he also has to make a living. And that is his guests. I don't let up. If he doesn't tell me his four best routes, I'll cancel the tour and go home, I threaten. "Okay, okay. Because it's you," he says. And laughs himself silly. We drive on. We keep laughing. Although the steeper the ramp gets, the more I gasp for air. Today - at least that's what he says - we're travelling along the north bank, up and down.

Car-free in the tourism hotspot

And what about the Three-Country Giro, I want to know from him. This is a tour that leads from Johnny's home, Velden am Wörthersee, through Austria, Italy and Slovenia. The shorter version is 105 kilometres long and covers 1,100 metres in altitude - via the Wurzen Pass, Tarvisio and the Alpe-Adria Cycle Path back again. The longer version covers 162 kilometres and 2,804 metres in altitude. The tours are okay, he says. However, there is usually far too much going on for him. "Full to bursting", especially in summer. He wants to know how many cars we have seen in the last two hours. Hardly any, I reply. See, he says. And puts the pedal to the metal. I pant after him.

You can do what you like, Hoogerland simply can't be convinced of routes that lead further away from Lake Wörthersee. So we cycle up Kerschberg, then St. Martin am Techelsberg, Untergöriach, Goritschen. Up and down everything. I don't know where my head is. As soon as we get to the top, it's back down again. As soon as we get to the bottom, it's straight back up again. Then we're at the bottom. Fortunately. We finally have something to eat. We stop off at the Seehotel Dr Jilly. The meat and fish come from no more than 100 kilometres away. We eat salmon with potatoes and vegetables. After the return journey, we go for a quick beer. He tells me where I should go the next day. He sends me up the Pyramidenkogel. "Is subbr," he says. He has to go to handball. His daughter always plays handball on Sundays.

Pyramid in Austria

So I cycle along the lake on the next "subbr" day. The route is a dream. Then I turn right. What's going on again? Another steep climb. "This stage proves that there are also mountains on Lake Wörthersee," Peter says to me. Peter Peschel is the tourism director who is currently trimming everything here for sustainability. Peter says that I have to "conquer" the Rupertiberg before I can climb the Pyramidenkogel. It works. Once at the top, the view is marvellous, the Karawanken seem close enough to touch. The ascent to the Pyramidenkogel, 851 metres high, is not really long. But: "You don't have time to recover anywhere quickly on this climb. None at all," says Peter. And smiles.

My stomach is growling. So I go to the "See.Stern". Peter recommended it to me. When I go in, I'm surprised. You don't feel like you're ordering your spaghetti in Carinthia. It feels like I'm somewhere in Cannes. A quick espresso and then I'm on my way. Just like Johnny told me to. Up and down. Just along the south side of Lake Wörthersee. As far as my starting point, Velden. Then I continue into the hinterland. On recommendation, I drive to the "Sternberg Gasthaus Messnerei". To get to Stefan Sternad's restaurant, however, I have to climb another incredibly steep hill. No-one would believe that it's so steep up here again. And that on a lake!

Karawanken panorama

Then I can't breathe. How beautiful it is here with the view of the Karawanken - the mountain range of the Southern Limestone Alps. Stefan is already waiting for me at his "Kraftplatz". The man, whose restaurant has already been voted "Restaurant of the Year" by Gault Millau, is doing everything right. After all, the amateur triathlete welcomes guests from all over the Alps-Adriatic region, i.e. Slovenia, Italy - from all over the world. Why? The restaurateur has the most sustainable restaurant here. Want some examples? The fish comes from Markus Payr, broccoli from Gailtal vegetable farmer Stefan Bachmann. Stefan's juices and gin come from Brigitte Fischer, the wine from Alexander Egger from the Sternberg winery. Brigitte and Alexander don't actually need a car. Both can carry their elderberry juice and Sauvignon Blanc up to Stefan Sternad's restaurant.

Stefan lives here in the natural paradise of Lake Wörthersee. Even more striking is his flat, right next to the See.Stern. The entire glass façade opens out onto the lake. While other people in this world put on a suit every morning and get into their smelly combustion engine, Stefan puts on a wetsuit and jumps into the lake from his terrace. Why? Stefan wants to take part in the Wörthersee Triathlon in 2026. So there's no need to heat a swimming pool for him. He doesn't have to travel anywhere either. He just has to jump off his terrace. But over the next few weeks, he also has to cycle. Who is he cycling with? With Johnny. Where are they going? Once again, he won't tell us. Just this much: he knows a zig-zag route with a few thousand metres of elevation gain ...

Tour info Wörthersee

Journey

It couldn't be more sustainable: first take the train to beautiful Lake Wörthersee, then take the "Carinthia Train Station Shuttle" to your accommodation. "The service is very simple," explains Tourism Director Peter Peschel. You can book the shuttle service from the train station to the hotel on the website up until 6.00 pm on the day before your trip; you will receive a booking confirmation either by text message or email. In the Wörthersee region, the station shuttle can be used at Velden, Pörtschach and Klagenfurt railway stations.

Overnight stay

Smart, urban and stylish: the Rocket Rooms hotel in Velden am Wörthersee. Two lake access points, large sun terrace, indoor wellness area and "fancy breakfast" - highly recommended!

Road bike tours

You can discover Carinthia and the entire Alps-Adriatic region by road bike from Lake Wörthersee. On almost all tours, especially the longer ones, there are variants to shorten the route.

Winter Challenge

You can also do endurance sports at Lake Wörtersee in winter: on the "Wörthersee Extreme" ultra trail. The hiking event covers 62 kilometres and 1,800 metres in altitude, whatever the weather. It starts at night in Velden Kurpark, then continues through the night to the refreshment station at the Karawankenblick restaurant on the descent from the Pyramidenkogel. From there, continue to Klagenfurt for a second breakfast. On the rest of the route, warm-up and refreshment stations await at Gut Draßing in Krumpendorf and at Thaddäushof in Sekull.

Wellness

Wellness with a view of the water is a special feature of the hotel industry on and around Lake Wörthersee. These include the heated lakeside pool at Hotel Schloss Seefels with its rock spa, Werzer's bathhouse, the lakeside sauna at Hotel Villa Rainer and the Aquapura SPA at Falkensteiner Schlosshotel Velden. The Hotel Balance follows the millennia-old health teachings of the Celts and Romans. In Krumpendorf, the Jägerhof offers a comprehensive spa programme. Extensive wellness and health offers can also be found at the Mayr&more Golf Hotel, the Seehotel Dr Jilly and the Vivamayr.

Gravel event

The Wörthersee Gravel Race will take place on 12 April 2026, is part of the UCI Gravel World Series and a qualifying race for the Gravel World Championships. In addition to the race for professionals, there are also competitions for amateur athletes. There are two routes over 84 kilometres and 1,000 metres in altitude and 136 kilometres and 1,500 metres in altitude.

Excursion tip

The 851 metre-high Pyramidenkogel is located south of Lake Wörthersee in the municipality of Keutschach. A 100 metre high wooden tower, newly built in 2013, towers over the summit. Two viewing platforms, one above the other, offer a unique panoramic view of Carinthia and its lake landscape. The tower is also home to a 120 metre long slide that climbs 52 metres. The viewing platforms can be reached by lift or via a staircase with 441 steps.

On the water

Looking out over the surrounding mountains and landscape from the water is at least as fascinating as the view from the mountains down into the valley and across the lake. The fleet of five ships, including Austria's last screw-steamer Thalia, operates a regular service between Klagenfurt and Velden from mid-April to the end of October.

Culinary delights

The inn Messnerei am Sternberg is a culinary gem in a special place. Local produce from the region is used to create light, healthy cuisine inspired by nature and with ingredients from the surrounding forests and meadows.

The See.star is picturesquely situated directly on Lake Wörthersee, including the marina. The location is easily accessible - whether by boat, bike or car (parking spaces right on the doorstep). What makes it special: People like to share here. "Just order what you want, we'll put everything in the centre and bring you the plates," says the menu.

For his Delicatessen Christoph Salanda breeds around 80,000 vineyard snails every year. They are virtually cholesterol-free, low in fat and high in protein. "The meat of the future," predicts Salanda, "snail meat is superfood." If you want to try it:

TOUR tip

The fresh fish rolls from Christian Pontasch-Müller, a professional fisherman on Lake Wörthersee. Prepared by his 89-year-old mother, to be found at the Benediktinermarkt in Klagenfurt.

Route info Wörthersee

Tour 1
50.5 km | 1,088 metres in altitude

All four tours are taken from Johnny Hoogerland's "Leitz folder", which he kindly gave us. Tour 1 leads over the ridge between Lake Wörthersee and Lake Ossiach up to an altitude of almost 1000 metres.

Tour 2 | 60 km | 770 m

Through the southern hinterland of Lake Wörthersee, past Lake Keutschach, followed by a detour to the Pyramidenkogel, before returning to Velden via Reifnitz, Keutschach and Viktring on the southern shore of the lake.

Tour 3 | 60 km | 843 metres altitude

Lake tour with hinterland exploration: From Velden via Pörtschach to Krumpendorf; then the tour turns northwards via Seigbichl, Klein St. Veit and Sankt Bartlmä, on to St. Martin am Techelsberg and via Dröschitz, Wurzen and Oberjeserz back to Velden.

Tour 4 | 60 km | 1,011 metres in altitude

To the south of Lake Wörthersee, this tour takes you on a loop to the north, and from Freistritz im Rosental back south of the Drau through the Austrian-Slovenian border region, where many places already have bilingual names.