On 26 July, Saalfelden Leogang will be the penultimate stage of a very special "Tour of Austria", in which numerous well-known personalities will embark on a world championship ride from Salzburg, the host city of the 2006 World Cycling Championships, to Innsbruck, where the most important cycling event in the world will take place in September. So if you want to be close to ski emperor Franz Klammer and Co., you should come to Saalfelden Leogang on 26 July. Guests and participants of the bike tour will be welcomed at the village square in Leogang at around 5.00 pm.
The cycling and biking mecca of Saalfelden Leogang is the destination of a very special stage of a campaign to promote the World Cycling Championships in Innsbruck on 26 July. True to the motto "We are World Cycling Championships", the Cycling Club Tirol is pedalling from the "2006 World Cycling Championships Host City - Salzburg" in a large loop across Austria to the "Host City of the 2018 UCI Road Cycling World Championships - Innsbruck" and will be vigorously promoting the major event in Tirol from 22 to 30 September. The Saalfelden Leogang region plays a special role in this unique event: after a sweat-inducing journey over the roof of Austria, the Grossglockner, the participants led by ex-professional and former Tour of Austria winner Thomas Rohregger can recharge their batteries for the final stage at the SalzburgerLand evening in Leogang.
Many former and active sports stars will also be guests in Leogang, including Franz Klammer, Alexandra Meissnitzer, Armin Assinger, Benni Raich, Fritz Strobl and Benni Karl, biathletes Julian Eberhard and Dominik Landertinger, golden eagles Andreas Goldberger and Martin Koch, as well as cycling icons such as Paolo Bettini, who was crowned world champion in Salzburg in 2006, and Mario Cipollini. "We are delighted to be able to play our part in promoting this major event in line with the motto 'We are the World Cycling Championships'. Saalfelden Leogang is known far beyond the borders as a Mecca for all cycling fans, which is why we are all the more proud to be able to act as the destination of the queen stage with over 3000 metres of altitude and 234 kilometres, and to give the participants a festive welcome," says Marco Pointner, Managing Director of Saalfelden Leogang Touristik.
Photo:
As part of a small ceremony at the Salzburg Congress Centre, Salzburg, the venue for the 2006 World Cycling Championships, handed over a symbolic baton - the original rainbow jersey of 2006 World Champion Paolo Bettini and a 'Flamme Rouge' - to Tyrol.
In the picture from left: Mayor Harald Preuner, Andreas Goldberger, Joe Margreiter (Managing Director of Tirol Werbung), Claudia Riegler, Leo Bauernberger (Managing Director of SalzburgerLand Tourismus), Sports Councillor Stefan Schnöll, Bert Brugger (Managing Director of Tourismus Salzburg).
© SalzburgerLand Tourism
