Tour of the Alps
The Austrian national team wants to assert itself against a strong field with nine racing teams from the WorldTour at the Tour of the Alps, which begins on Monday in South Tyrol. The tour, which leads back to Tyrol on the second and third stages (both live on ORF Sport +), serves as a final acid test for some of the top teams before the Giro d’Italia.
15.04.2024 11.50
Online since today, 11:50 a.m
The favorites include ex-Tour de France winner Geraint Thomas (Ineos), Romain Bardet (DSM) and last year’s runner-up Hugh Carthy (EF). The local selection is made up of veterans Hermann Pernsteiner, Lukas Pöstlberger and Sebastian Schönberger as well as young talents.
Three of them, Sebastian Putz, Marco Schrettl and Benjamin Eckerstorfer, come from the Tyrolean KTM team. For them, the second stage ending in Stans and the subsequent one with start and finish in Schwaz will be a real home game.
Home game also for Pöstlberger
But Pöstlberger, who lives in Innsbruck and is still without a contract after leaving the Australian Jayco team, also knows the streets there very well. “The two stages are practically on my doorstep, so it’s a real home race in which I want to show myself,” said Pöstlberger.
Pernsteiner and Schönberger (both Felt-Felbermayr) also have plenty of experience. The ÖRV team, led by national coach Stefan Sölkner, is completed by Martin Messner (WSA), the Styrian was the 14th best Austrian at the Tour of Austria last year.
Gall not there this time
Movistar professional Gregor Mühlberger is the only Austrian driver who does not compete in the national team uniform. Felix Gall, who finished second in the stage in Alpbach last year and finished ninth overall, will not be at the start. As with the Giro, the captain of his Decathlon team is the Australian Ben O’Connor.
The queen stage takes place on the penultimate day; on the way from Laives to Borgo Valsugana, almost 4,000 meters of altitude have to be overcome over 141 km. But the final day around Levico Terme is also tough with two long mountain pass climbs.
