The FISI Bike Challenge has come to an end. © Harald Wisthaler

The successful end of the FISI Bike Challenge

The third edition of the FISI Bike Challenge Tour ended last Thursday with the final in Bolzano. A total of 11 teams faced off in the fifth and final stage at the Autoindustriale headquarters. The teams that won the summer initiative of the South Tyrol State Winter Sports Association were "Die schnell Sarner Wadln" (Skiclub Sarntal/VSS), "The Only Ones" (ASCV Gröden/Grand Prix) and "Looser Rodler" (ASC Laas Raiffeisen/Junior & Over). They can each look forward to a training weekend in a South Tyrolean ski area.

September 09, 2024

From: pm

The purpose of the Bike Challenge Tour is based on several things, as Thomas Valentini, the coordinator of the popular initiative, explains: "Firstly, the sporting and social aspect is very important. The Bike Challenge is a great meeting place for winter sports enthusiasts, coaches and club members; you don't see each other that often in the summer. I would particularly like to highlight the atmosphere at the final in Bolzano, where clubs from all over the country came together and not only competed on their bikes, but were also able to exchange ideas with each other. Although the majority of the participants were alpine skiers, cross-country skiers, tobogganers, biathletes and others were also there. This means that there is also an exchange between the different winter sports."

Another positive aspect of the Bike Challenge is the fitness training: "Cycling is definitely the favorite summer activity for winter sports enthusiasts. The Bike Challenge has enabled some to set themselves a training goal in the summer. This means they are even fitter when they start training in the fall. And last but not least, the Bike Challenge is of course an ideal opportunity for us at FISI South Tyrol to ensure visibility together with our sponsors," emphasises Valentini.

Four qualifying stages and a grand finale

The FISI Bike Challenge Tour was divided into five stages. The first in Brixen on June 6th was for the clubs in the Eisack and Wipptal valleys, the second in Algund on July 26th for the clubs in the Vinschgau and Burggrafenamt, the third in Sarnthein on August 3rd for the clubs in the Bolzano and Überetsch/Unterland areas, and the fourth in Sand in Taufers on August 31st for the clubs in the Pustertal valley. "The organization went very well, each stage was completed within one afternoon. In total, around 60 teams and 300 winter sports enthusiasts took part.

According to the new regulations, everyone had to have at least one girl in the team of five. I would like to highlight the stage in Sand in Taufers, in which 23 teams took part," says Valentini, looking back. At the finale in Bolzano last Thursday, September 5, all the stage winners of the four previous stages competed against each other for the main prize on the ultra-modern bike ergometers of the sponsor WAHOO. The aim was to cover the route to the Stilfserjoch.

Sarner, Grödner and Laaser win the coveted main prize

In the VSS category (born in 2013 or later), it was ultimately the “fast Sarner Wadln” who secured the victory and the training weekend. They covered 6,47 kilometers on the bike ergometers. The “Ski Club Al Plan” team from the ASC St. Vigil in Enneberg club covered 6,43 kilometers, the “Ski Club Tscherms” team from the ASV Tscherms Ski section covered 6,13 kilometers and the “Tobogganing team Villnöß” from the ASV Villnöß covered 5,68 kilometers.

In the Grand Prix category (ages 2012 to 2009), “The Only Ones” from ASCV Gröden won with a distance of 10,03 kilometers. Second place went to “Skiteam 3 Zinnen” from ASV Skiteam 3 Zinnen Dolomiten (9,43 kilometers), third place went to “die Sarner Tretar” from Skiclub Sarntal (9,30 kilometers) and fourth place went to “Jochgeier” from ASV Prad Raiffeisen (7,14 kilometers).

In the Junior & Over category (2008 and older), the “Looser Rodler” from ASC Laas Raiffeisen were crowned the Bike Challenge winners with a distance of 10,98 kilometers. Second place went to the “Ridnauner Bikers” from ASC Ridnaun (10,90 kilometers), and third place went to the “Simply the Best” team from the Sarntal Ski Club (10,74 kilometers).

"Finally, on behalf of FISI South Tyrol, I would like to thank the sponsors Raiffeisen, Autoindustriale, WAHOO, skicenter.it, Marlene and Energia Pura. They made the Bike Challenge possible in the first place. I would also like to say a big thank you and a big compliment to the four clubs that helped organize the first four stages. These are the Plose Ski Club, the SC Meran, the Sarntal Ski Club and the Skialprace Ahrntal. And last but not least, my thanks go to my team, together we put on a great and successful Bike Challenge," concludes Valentini.