Lower Austria

Where it really runs smoothly

And action! Bike parks, trail centers and various routes offer pure mountain biking fun in six regions - for all ages and skill levels.

(Bild: © Niederösterreich Werbung/ Ian Ehm)

Come vacation time, come cycling! Whether trails, racing bike routes, leisurely cycle routes, past enchanted lakes and forests - Lower Austria can keep up in all disciplines. 

Felix Neureuther whizzes to Lake Lunz on his bike to refresh himself in the cold water. He is also extremely agile and goal-oriented in this discipline. His mischievous grin is unmistakable. As in the video by Niederösterreich Werbung, the former German slalom specialist now appears extremely dynamic and always in the mood for a joke on a trip along the Ybbstal cycle path with journalists.

From one favorite place to the next
Chosen as Lower Austria's cycling ambassador, the 40-year-old enjoys his role. It fits him like a glove. After all, he loves cycling - preferably with his wife Miriam and their three children. Although the youngest offspring (2) still sits in the bike trailer and prefers to comment on the passing landscape with a whoop.

Lower Austria's cycling ambassador Felix Neureuther (right) wants to continue to be a sporting role model. Meeting former "colleagues": Andreas Buder from Göstling, junior downhill world champion, runs a bike rental shop in Lunz am See.

(Bild: Susanne Zita)

Neureuther will soon be celebrating his "comeback" - albeit not on the ski circuit like his former rival and friend Marcel Hirscher, but on Lower Austria's cycle paths. A vacation with the family is planned here in the summer. "Because it's simply fantastic," he enthuses. "The cycle path network is multi-faceted. It leads along rivers, through forests, over hills, past mountains and really beautiful lakes."

The brand ambassador and the advertising campaign should attract even more guests from the target market of Germany as well as from the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary to the blue and yellow federal state in future. And, of course, also score points with the Austrians. 

INFO

• Lower Austria Advertising Ltd.
  Tel. [phone]
  www.niederoesterreich.at
• Ybbstal cycle path discovery tour from Waidhofen/Ybbs to Lunz am See
  www.niederoesterreich.at/radfahren
  Iron Road Lower Austria with Ybbsitz forges

TIPS: The castle on the Iron Road, tel. [phone], www.schlosseisenstrasse.at
Refugium Lunz, tel. [phone], www.refugium-lunz.at
Bike rental in Lunz am See, run by Karin Hager & Andreas Buder, tel. [phone], www.anka.co.at

The cycling experience quality brand "Radpartner Niederösterreich" is new and aims to make it easier for guests to find bike-friendly hosts. How does this work? With standardized criteria and regular checks. There are over 320 bike partners, 130 of which are bett&bike businesses. Service providers from the repair and bike rental sectors would also like to be more involved in the future. There are ten exemplary signposted, over 1,500 km of top cycle routes, a dense railroad network, cozy inns, wine taverns, special service stations and, last but not least, cultural treasures along the way that guests "take in" as they pass by.

Ybbstal cycle path - built close to the water
One of the ten "top cycle routes" is the Ybbstal Cycle Path. Right at the start, a detour to the Ybbsitz blacksmith Sepp Eybl on the Iron Road is worthwhile. His words of wisdom are refreshing alongside the fast handling of the hot iron. The metal artist lives for the old craft.

Sepp Eybl upholds the tradition of the blacksmith.

(Bild: Susanne Zita)

Watching him makes you want to attend a workshop where you can make your own hand-ground Damascus knives. But the heart of the Mostviertel route, which follows a former railroad line, is the 55 km long section between Waidhofen an der Ybbs and Lake Lunz. Here we follow the murmur of the turquoise blue Ybbs and roll relaxed towards our destination.

Ybbstal cycle path

(Bild: (c) Niederösterreich Werbung/ Schloss Hof/ schwarz-koenig.at)

No climbs, but plenty of swimming opportunities
Past the Ofenloch, a gorge that can only be explored on two wheels. Or the arched bridge and tunnel from the time when the Ybbstalbahn still chugged along the river. A break on the gravel bank with a small picnic is a real treat. Many people recharge their batteries at the rest stops with sweet cider and apple juice.

"A little tip: it's best to always bring your swimming trunks!" says Felix from experience. If Lake Lunz is too fresh for you, you can explore it on a pedalo. And for those who don't want to transport their bike by car, the journey is easy and comfortable by train. For the return journey to the starting point, there is a bike hitchhiker bus and cab services with bike transport options.

Great wines, great variety, great temptations await guests.

(Bild: © Niederösterreich Werbung/ JULIUS HIRTZBERGER)

Felix's heart beats for mountain biking. The Land unter der Enns offers plenty of adrenaline kicks. Whether it's the Wexl trails, the Semmering Bike Park, Königsberg or the Annaberg Mini Bike Park, the Hohe-Wand-Wiese Trail Center or the Weidlingbach Trail Park - the mountain bike scene is happy with the variety on offer.

Danube cycle path - where people like to pedal away
Full speed ahead is the motto for cycling enthusiasts on Austria's longest river. The Danube Cycle Path (Euro Velo 6) is like a red thread that runs through the landscape and leads through the region. A power current whose water produces a huge amount of energy. A stage usually takes longer than planned. This is not due to the altitude covered, but to the surrounding scenery: viewpoints, knights' stories and museums such as Klosterneuburg Abbey and Melk. You simply can't get past them. But you should also take a break at one of the delicious restaurants and wine taverns. After all, you've already exhausted yourself enough.