Registration is now open for a new event in the hugely popular Marmotte Gran Fondo series. Set in the spectacular Austrian alps, the Marmotte Granfondo Hochkönig looks set to rival its sister events in the Pyrenees and French alps with a 167km course that features over 3,400 metres of climbing.
The first edition of the Marmotte Hochkönig will take place on Saturday 17th June 2017. The ride starts and finishes in the town of Mülbach at the bottom of the Hochkönig, the highest mountain of the Berchtesgadner Alps.
Located just 45 minutes from Salzburg, the new gran fondo offers a chance to explore fresh terrain and reach new heights: five major climbs feature on the route.
The good news perhaps is that the first two climbs - the Dientner Sattel (1,370m 7.5% average gradient) and Filzensattel (1,290m 6.6%) are over and done with in the first 14km. Nothing like a hors categorie climb to warm up the legs!
The next 30km are mainly downhill, but look out for town signs for St Martin bei Lofer: here the road heads up again for an equally long, gradual ascent of the Griessenpass at 986m. This 27km stretch features an average gradient of 2.6%, but once again there is time to recover before the course finishes with its two toughest climbs. First comes the Dientner Sattel at 1,370m (4.8% gradient), and finally a summit finish on Mühlbach am Hochkönig, 1,502m with a punishing average gradient of 8.5%.
For cyclists looking to enjoy a long weekend in this beautiful part of the Austrian alps, the organisers have laid on optional rides on Thursday 15th and Friday 16th June. Featuring a 34km, 5.2% gradient ascent of the Grossglockner, the rides are a perfect way to destroy your legs - sorry, acclimatise - before the gran fondo on Saturday.
Registration for the Marmotte Granfondo Hochkönig is now open. Entry costs €60, which includes well-stocked feed stations, an event souvenir and a pasta party at the finish.
For more information and to book your place, visit marmottegranfondoseries.com.
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