Tour of Austria

Burgenland cycles into the spotlight

Dietmar Tunkel, Managing Director of Burgenland Tourism, Jakob Sertic, professional cyclist Team WSA KTM Graz, and Heinrich Dorner, Burgenland's Sports Councilor (from left to right)(Bild: EXPA Pictures)

Bad Tatzmannsdorf will be the start and finish of the Tour of Austria cycling tour for the first time on July 3. For the cycling state of Burgenland, the advertising value cannot be overestimated, as the stage will also be broadcast on Eurosport for the first time.

"We didn't want them to just start here and jet off," said Burgenland's tourism boss Didi Tunkel with a wink, explaining why Bad Tatzmannsdorf is the start and finish location of the first stage of the Tour of Austria for the first time after the prologue in St. Pölten the day before on July 3. "The stage not only offers the athletes a challenging route, but also gives us the opportunity to present the beauty and hospitality of our region to a wide audience."

The first stage will start in Bad Tatzmannsdorf on July 3.(Bild: Expa Pictures)

 169.9 kilometers and 1,768 meters of altitude
There will be 1,768 meters of altitude to cover over almost 170 kilometers, "certainly not an easy stage due to the hilly terrain and often demanding wind conditions," says professional cyclist Jakob Sertic from Team WSA KTM Graz, who has already ridden the route, which Michael Knopf was also involved in planning. The president of the Burgenland Cycling Association emphasizes the good cooperation with Tunkel and the Burgenland Sports Councilor Heinrich Dorner, which made this event possible in the first place: "From the very first conversation, the commitment was there, everyone wanted the tour to take place here." The former professional cyclist also sees the event as an incentive for the next generation of cyclists: "We currently have between 40 and 50 children in the state who train regularly."

The anticipation for the stage with start and finish in Bad Tatzmannsdorf is great.(Bild: EXPA Pictures)

It is a great honor for us that the first stage of the Tour of Austria is taking place in Burgenland and that the sporting region of Burgenland is once again the venue for a top sporting event.

Sportlandesrat Heinrich DORNER

It is no coincidence that Bad Tatzmannsdorf, the largest tourist resort in Burgenland, was "chosen" - on the one hand, it has the necessary infrastructure to accommodate the 700-strong entourage, and on the other hand, "the large community of cyclists will find inexhaustible offers here, and summer cycling is possible at any time of year thanks to the mild climate", as Mayor Stefan Laimer knows. "With the Tour of Austria, we have the great opportunity to make the aforementioned strengths of Bad Tatzmannsdorf better known, we are looking forward to this sporting highlight of the year!"

The Tour of Austria will also roll through southern Burgenland in 2024.(Bild: Expa Pictures)

High status for cycling in Burgenland
"For us, Bad Tatzmannsdorf and the Bahndammtrassen cycle path are also symbolic of the importance cycling now has in Burgenland," emphasizes Sports Councilor Heinrich Dorner - the mountain bike route to Geschriebenstein is another highlight of the region. The tour puts it in the spotlight. In addition to ORF and Servus TV, images from southern Burgenland will also be broadcast to the world on Eurosport.