Good morning from the Tour of the Alps 2024! Die 47th edition of the euregional cycling race (15.-19. April) will be today, Monday, April 15thin Neumarkt started. It is the second South Tyrolean start in the history of vom GS Alto Garda organized stage race: In 2021, Brixen was the scene of the comeback after the corona pandemic.
Surrounded by kilometers of vineyards that wind between hills, lakes and villages and from which the name of the wine route comes, the athletes will have to tackle a stage with a varied route and a finale where much is possible. The race ends after 133,3 km in Kurtinig on the Wine Route.
After 25 flat kilometers at the start, the first, fairly even climb up to the mountain classification awaits you Go for it.
The subsequent descent is also quite smooth with several long straights interrupted by curves. After 80 kilometers, the field of riders crosses the finish line in Kurtinig for the first time, before climbing the same ramp twice effort must be defeated.
The first ramp – an approximately 4.3 kilometer long climb with gradients in the double-digit percentage range and an extremely narrow road, especially in the first part – is counted as a mountain classification. After the second mountain finish, there are only 17 kilometers left to reach the finish: five technically demanding kilometers downhill and twelve more flat kilometers to the finish in Kurtinig.
meeting point: 10.00, Neumarkt, main square
Start: 11.55, Neumarkt, main square
Goal: 3.15 p.m., Kurtinig adW, Weinstraße
Intermediate sprint: Spormaggiore (Km 33.9), Margreid ADW (Km 96.1)
Mountain classification: Andalo (3rd cat., 44.8 km); Penon (2nd cat., 89.8 km)
Totahaus Würth Permanence: Kurtinig ADW, Curtinie Center, Piazza San Martino, 1
THE START: NEW MARKET. Neumarkt has been one of the “most beautiful villages in Italy” since 2014 and can also call itself the “European Sports Community 2020”. Since the community is located directly on the Etsch River, a lot of wood used to be produced or processed here to make rafts for transport on the Etsch. The patron saint of Neumarkt is St. Nicholas, who is supposed to protect the residents from floods and to whom a Romanesque-style church was dedicated in the 12th century.
ON THE ROUTE: A beautiful, winding mountain road leads in a short time from Kurtatsch to the Fennberger high plateau. The jewel of the South Tyrolean high plateau is undoubtedly the small Fennberger Lake. Although the lake is designated as a biotope with special flora and fauna, you can swim in its silky-soft water and enjoy a panoramic view of the small church and the surrounding mountains.
THE PLEASURE: Perhaps only a few people know that in Kurtatsch, in addition to fine vineyards and award-winning wines, there is also a group of farmers who have been cultivating olives with great skill for years. At the beginning of November 2008, the South Tyrolean Farmers’ Association Kurtatsch local group launched the “Kurtatsch Olive Oil” project. Since then, the oil has received several awards and production volumes have increased significantly. To taste “the green gold”, you shouldn’t miss the events and festivals in the region.
DO NOT MISS: A visit to the spectacular Kurtatsch winery is a must! The Kurtatsch winery, which was founded in 1900 and completely renovated on the occasion of its 120th anniversary in 2020 (inauguration in 2021), now has 190 members. The facade of the Kurtatsch winery, made of dolomite slabs, is an architectural gem whose profile is reminiscent of the line of the mountain in front of the winery.
THE GOAL: KURTINIG ADW. With an area of just two square kilometers, Kurtinig is one of the smallest communities in South Tyrol. The Unterlandl town has its center directly on the River Etsch and has been frequently hit by floods in the past, which earned it the nickname “Little Venice”. In the “Village of Vines” it was a tradition for many centuries to plant extensive vines, which now climb up the walls of the old farms as domestic vines.
Thanks to the multi-year agreement between the euregional race and Infront Sports&Media will be every stage from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m broadcast live.
TV: Eurosport (Europe, Asia-Pacific, Central America, South America), RaiSport (Italy, San Marino, Vatican City) ORF (Austria), TV Team (France, Principality of Monaco, Andorra), EITB (Spain), Flosports (USA, Canada, Australia), DirecTV (Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela) and RTVC (Colombia). Eventually will EBU News Showing images of the Tour of the Alps in the news across Europe.
10.30 – 12.30 – Stands with local products (obere Lauben) 10h45 Bike Show by Mario Neurauter (obere Lauben)
10.30 – 12.30 – Exhibition of old bicycles (upper arcades)
12.30 – 14.30 – Award ceremony for the painting competition on the theme of bicycles and lasagna for children and parents (in front of the Hotel Teutschhaus)
13.00 – 16.00 – Stands with local products (Martinsplatz)
20.00 – Euregio Talk with Lukas Pöstlberger, Eva Lechner, Thomas Pupp, Peter Brunner, Manfred Mayr and Katharina Zeller (Hotel Teutschhaus)
WEATHER FORECAST: Cloudy skies but above-average temperatures are forecast for the first stage of the Tour of the Alps. No precipitation is expected.