Steinbock Challenge

Steinbock Challenge in August 2019
Arlberg Steinbock Challenge: St. Anton creates a New, Mettle-Testing Mountain Bike Race

57.6 kilometers, about 2,500 meters of climbing, fun, adventure and killer mountain biking for everyone. This is what the new mountain bike race of St. Anton is all about. The inaugural “Arlberg Steinbock Challenge” takes place August 24, 2019 and will certainly be a test of physical endurance. Registration is open—snag your spot now!

St. Anton am Arlberg practically begs people to get outside and take advantage of all this world-renowned mountain resort has to offer. It is also a great place for enthusiastic athletes to challenge themselves to ascend ever-greater heights — literally. This summer, riders can show off their prowess in a brand-new, muscle-busting, mettle-testing mountain bike race. The “Arlberg Steinbock Challenge” will be held for the first time on August 24, 2019. Racing an epic 57.6 kilometer trek through rugged terrain, the event is pretty much without equal. The race is rad. It will be perhaps the toughest mountain bike race in in the Arlberg Area. “It doesn’t matter if you have ever raced before. Anyone who loves to mountain bike should take on this endeavour – this new race is open to all riders, including (fit) amateurs and ambitious professionals willing to test the limits of their stamina and strength,” said Martin Ebster, Managing Director of the St. Anton am Arlberg Tourist Board.

Unleash Your Inner Mountain Goat

Created for the most determined athletes, this tough endurance race was named after the ‘Steinbock’, also known as the Alpine ibex, a species of wild goat that tend to live in steep, rough terrain near the snow line. These amazing creatures aren’t cowards; in fact they are born climbers! Alpine ibexes are greatly adapted to mountain life, thanks to its quickness and agility they get around the most inaccessible steeps. They are often seen leaping and climbing arduous rocky places and steep cliffs—and standing majestically on the edge of the abyss. Thus it’s only natural that the 57.6-kilometer “Arlberg Steinbock Challenge” course is gruelling, hard going and strenuous. And the course doesn’t follow your run-of-the-mill trails. These trails are steep and built for mountain biking. Total climbing is 2,500 meters. It will be one of the toughest, most technically demanding courses you have ever raced—and the most beautiful. You’ll be challenged to catch your breath—while the views try to take it away.

Endurance Mountain Bike Racing at its Best

This is an endurance mountain bike event with a 57.6-kilometer distance. The course of the new “Arlberg Steinbock Challenge” is designed to maximize altitude, steepness and (apparently) hurtiness. The race features a mix of rugged backcountry roads, stretches of flowing and smooth singletrack, fast descents and plenty of climbing. The event starts and finishes in the pedestrianized main street of St. Anton. The first mile will be towards St. Jakob, where the first climb to Putzenalpe at an elevation of 1,726 meters begins. There are a few climbs to make your lungs hurt a bit. From there you will jump onto a series of forest roads, including a really fun ride down to Verwall with the gorgeous lake of the same name, where you really start to get an appreciation of the landscape of the area. Another short climb will bring you into Moostal Valley, followed by a flowy descent towards St. Anton and St. Jakob. However, there is not much time for recovery. The following ascent is steep with several rigorous climbs taking you past Rendlalpe. Skirting the base of Zwölferkopf Peak, riders will then take a hard climb to the top of Rendlbahn Gondola. This is where you will reach the highest point of the course at 2,069 meters in elevation. However, you are not done when you get to the apex of the Steinbock Challenge. Riders will be traveling down a winding track past the base of Rif?bahn 1 Chair Lift. The last mile across Moostal Valley will bring riders back to St. Anton am Arlberg.