Osttirol - positive outcome for the bike season

Lienz, Austria, 18. August 2022 – This year, Osttirol is once again living up to its reputation as a destination made for mountain bikers. The Austrian region, which has two MTB hot spots,  Bikepark Lienz and the Bikepark Großglockner Resort, drew a positive balance well before the season was even over. In its first season as a member of the Gravity Card network, Bikepark Lienz has gained international visibility and has seen an increase in visitors as guests come to enjoy the Mediterranean flair and the relaxing, family atmosphere in front of a fairytale backdrop with the highest peaks in the country. If you haven’t had a chance to see the beauty, fortunately, the season is far from over as Osttirol generally enjoys its summers well into October.

With its Mediterranean flair, family atmosphere, and panoramic views of Austria's highest peaks, Osttirol is becoming increasingly popular with mountain bikers. Whether in pure downhill mode with friends or with the whole family on the 600 kilometers of bike trails that the region has to offer: more and more bikers are enjoying the natural surroundings south of the main Alpine ridge. In the entire region, the number of overnight stays in June and July showed an increase of more than 15 percent compared to the previous year, which is also due to the large number of bikers.

Growth was also recorded by Bikepark Lienz - due to the Gravity Card, which has put the only five-year-old bike park on the map with many new visitors. "We are very satisfied with this summer so far! Nice to see that more and more bikers come to Lienz, and the feedback is overwhelming. Traffic jams at the accesses or braking waves are foreign words for us. With us, everything is just a little more relaxed," says Mario Tölderer, CEO of Lienzer Bergbahnen.

One of the highlights at Bikepark Lienz was the staging of the Auner Austrian Gravity Series.  The race series designed for beginners and young riders (11 years and up) stopped in Lienz for the second time.  

On July 23, more than 140 riders took to the start line. "It's great to see how Bikepark Lienz is constantly growing and attracting more and more mountain bike fans to Lienz. Above all, the number of motivated young athletes and the demand for races were decisive for the bike club Ride Free Osttirol to bring a corresponding summer downhill event to Lienz, in addition to the winter event 'Ride Hard On Snow,'" explains chairman Rene Unterwurzacher. The event in Lienz will be expanded in the future to include an expo as well as an afterparty.

The second bike park in Osttirol, the Bikepark Großglockner Resort offers not only crisp downhill and enduro action but also a spectacular view of the highest mountains in the Austrian Alps. Located at the foot of the Großglockner (3,798 m), the park guarantees many opportunities for varied days for bikers of all levels with a total of 60 kilometers of almost natural mountain bike trails.

"Osttirol offers a lot of possibilities. Within a week, you can enjoy two bike parks extensively, but also spend a day on the E-MTB. We have a total of 600 kilometers of bike trails. In addition, our region is known for its Mediterranean flair," comments Franz Theurl, chairman of Osttirol Tourism Association. 

For riders who want to enjoy the colors of autumn, Osttirol often offers sunshine and mild temperatures until mid-October, and until then, the mountain trains are used every weekend. Only the Bikepark Großglockner closes its doors at the end of September due to its altitude.