Gravelei in South Styria: A Gravel Festival I Unfortunately Missed!
Phew, dear gravel friends, there was quite a lot going on last weekend in South Styria! The "Gravelei" has made the region an absolute stronghold for us gravel bikers. And even though I unfortunately couldn't be there myself to challenge my calves, I of course followed along and devoured the reports.
In total, 148 participants took on this challenge and really worked up a sweat on the demanding routes. Just imagine, the youngest was only ten years old and the oldest a proud 86 years! That perfectly shows how diverse and intergenerational our sport is, doesn't it?
The routes really catered to every taste, and participants came from all over Styria, Lower Austria, Carinthia, Salzburg, Upper Austria, Vienna, and even Berlin. The short distance covered just under 40 kilometers and 750 meters of elevation. Those who wanted to really test themselves tackled the long distance with a hefty 129 kilometers and nearly 3,350 meters of elevation. But most of you opted for the medium distance – about 98 kilometers and 2,300 meters of elevation. Respect!
The start was at the Motorikpark in Gamlitz, and then it went over secluded paths and gravel roads through the beautiful South Styria and even into Slovenia. Navigation? Quite modern via GPX data, with fixed refreshment stations as checkpoints. Christina Birnhuber from the event team aptly put it: “Of course, there were also some climbs on the routes that really challenged some calves. But that's exactly what makes the appeal of such an event.” And organizer Max Hofstätter added that some were sporty, while others took their time to enjoy nature. Sounds like a perfect mix!
I'm already curious when the next Gravelei will take place and hope to be able to participate myself. Maybe we'll see each other on the gravel paths of South Styria then!
Stay in the saddle and enjoy the Graz bike paths!
#bikegraz #gravelbike #southstyria #cycling
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