Farewell, KitzAlpBike!

On October 4, 2023, the organizing tourism association Kitzbüheler Alpen – Brixental decided to no longer host the KitzAlpBike Festival in the future. The 27th edition of the marathon, along with side events like Hillclimb, Radlrallye, Cross Country, or recently Funduro, was thus the last.
"This event was an important part of our commitment to establishing the Brixental and the Kitzbüheler Alpen as a top destination for mountain bikers. The decision was carefully considered and made for various reasons. Nonetheless, we would like to express our sincere thanks to all participants, sponsors, partners, supporters, and volunteer helpers for their long-standing loyalty and commitment," the organizers announced at their farewell.

99 editorial contributions are listed on Bikeboard when it is fed with the search term "KitzAlpBike". More is achieved on our platform only by the Salzkammergut Trophy - at least in terms of events. Because the "Streif of the mountain bikers", as the Tyrolean marathon was soon titled because of its notorious uphill passage over the world-famous ski slope, counts along with its changing supporting program as one of those events that our online magazine has been accompanying since its beginnings.
In the 100th entry on the topic, we therefore, as much nostalgia and mourning work must be, let our most beautiful memories of more than two decades of Kitzbühel Alps - Brixental pass in review in words and pictures. At the same time, we take the opportunity to talk with TVB managing director Christoph Stöckl, himself involved in the fortunes of KitzAlpBike at a senior level for 16 years, about the exact reasons for its end and now future plans.

Bikeboard: For the first time since 2006, there's no entry for KitzAlpBike at the end of June in our internal work calendar - a strange feeling. How must it be for you locals, who even have ten more years of festival history to look back on?

Christoph Stöckl: Indeed, many are sad that KitzAlpBike is no more, which is understandable since a lot of passion and commitment went into this event. Especially those who were heavily involved via the organizing committee have to come to terms with its end. But the decision was made strategically and is a necessary response to various changes recently: declining participant numbers, less sponsorship money, significantly increased costs... Together with professionals, we have thoroughly analyzed the situation and concluded that the festival lacks a future perspective.

BB: Mostly, the sun shone at KitzAlpBike, but last year it poured rain cats and dogs. Was that already an early omen? Since when has the festival been under review - and why exactly?

CS: Yes, we sought external help a year and a half ago and dealt with how and whether KitzAlpBike could regain its former appeal - with participants, sponsors, audience, helpers... so, with everyone involved. But the fact is that with the e-bike boom, enjoyment is becoming more and more the focus for people, and formats with timing are losing their appeal. Add to that the high inflation, which has caused a true cost explosion. Especially since personnel costs have always been very high at KitzAlpBike because a lot of time was invested by those involved from the tourism association. For this year, we wanted to offer a festival at a high-quality level again. But ultimately, the participant numbers were not at a level that one could talk about a future perspective. We had 550 registrations, of which, due to weather conditions, only 440 were at the start. That hurt additionally.

BB: Marathons are generally facing declining participant numbers. What explanation does tourism research find for this phenomenon?

CS: Pleasure is, as already mentioned, the big buzzword. The trend is shifting from elite to mass sport, which has specifically developed this way after Corona. Additionally, we have often heard that active people, as a consequence of a Covid infection, have breathing problems and reduced lung function. Around a marathon format, it has always been difficult to create a real festival atmosphere with thousands of enthusiastic spectators. This has only been achieved by a few events such as the festivals in Riva or Willingen, and in my opinion, it is most achievable with cross-country or downhill competitions.

BB: Does the previous restructuring of the TVB also have to do with the cancellation, and has the festival lost its advocates with some new appointments?

CS: No, it had nothing to do with that. We made a strategic decision, the reasons for which I have already explained. In the future, we will invest more in the theme area of tours and trails. Pleasure and e-biking are becoming increasingly popular in the Brixental, and the Kitzbühel Alps are also known for their great panoramic tours. Within the framework of the Bike ARGE, several projects have been defined for the next five years, and the freed-up financial resources will flow into their implementation.

BB: So, it's ‚time to say goodbye‘. Besides the recently established event formats, there have been countless highlights and specials in the nearly 30-year festival history, from Marathon World Championships, Enduro European Championships, and numerous National Championships over after-race parties with live bands and dirt contests to fashion shows and trial shows. What was your personal favorite moment?

CS: Definitely the Marathon World Championship in 2013, and everything that happened in preparation for this highlight. Above all, this major event made the realization of the Fleckalm trail possible, which is still very popular with our guests and the locals to this day and is now even considered one of Tyrol's signature trails.

BB: If the marathon and the festival were your main attractions in the effort to establish the region as a top destination for bikers: What will be your new flagship project to maintain this status?

CS: The decision to no longer hold the KitzAlpBike was made on October 4th, so it's still quite fresh. Therefore, the processes are just beginning to run, during which creative, new ideas will be born. It is already certain that the Hillclimb Brixen will continue to exist, probably around the same date as before. And that we will invest in the bike infrastructure, because improvements are needed there.

BB: What exactly is meant by infrastructure - new trails?

CS: Yes, that too. Our goal is to generally improve the tour and trail offerings. This involves, on one hand, supplementing and enhancing the existing network of routes with existing forest paths, including all the associated negotiations with the landowners, etc. On the other hand, trail constructions are also planned, in agreement with forestry and hunting, conservation, the environmental advocacy, and of course the landowners. Whether the efforts of the Bike ARGE Kitzbühel - Brixental will result in a new event will be seen in the future.

BB: Then we wish you much success and happy working, thank you for the conversation and the years of good cooperation, and we look forward to everything that comes!

• 2013, the UCI Marathon World Championships were held as part of the KitzAlpBike. The Swiss Christoph Sauser narrowly won over local hero Alban Lakata, while in the women's category, Gunn Rita Dahle-Flesjaa (NOR) clearly dominated ahead of defending champion Sally Bigham (GBR). The Windautaler Bike Rally also made its debut as a new side-event in the festival program, which was held annually until 2022.
• 2014 saw the European Championships for the Deaf in the disciplines of XC, Team Relay, and Marathon visit the KitzAlpBike. The Enduro premiere, part of the Specialized Sram Enduro Series, added further disciplinary variety.
• 2015, the Enduro competition decided the first European Champions in the still young discipline under epic conditions (mud battle and fresh snow). The fastest were Jérôme Clementz/FRA and Anneke Beerten/NED. The Marathon celebrated its 20th birthday with two participants who had competed in all editions to date: Hannes Gianmoena from Kitzbühel and Nick Rahle from Brannenburg.
• 2016 saw the Light distance technically simplified and moved from Gaisberg including the Lisi Osl-Trail to the Wiegalm. The Downhill ranking celebrated its premiere at the Fleckalmtrail. On nine event days, a total of well over 2,000 participants were active on the courses of Hillclimb, Bike Rally, Marathon, XC, and youth competitions
• 2017, Tony Longo from Italy set a new course record of 4:19:42 for the (albeit not always identical) extreme distance
• 2018 recorded the Marathon competition having over 1,000 starters for the first time and once again hosted the long-distance national championship
• 2019, due to construction work at the Kirchberg Fleckalm cable car, the start and finish of the Marathon moved to Brixen im Thale, which also spelled the end for the XC and youth races.

• 2020 saw the KitzAlpBike also affected by the general ban on events imposed in Austria due to the Corona pandemic, and it had to be cancelled. A turning point, as it would later turn out...
• 2021 was characterized by uncertainty until the last moment, based on the regulatory requirements, whether the event could take place. Eventually, the 25th anniversary was allowed to go ahead with a year's delay – under strict hygiene rules, scaled down to only 3 marathon distances, sprint races, and hillclimb, as well as the "inherited" Marathon-ÖM.
• 2022 saw the marathon return to its traditional event grounds with 540 participants, the from now on four courses took partly new terrain and fresh trails under their wheels.
• 2023 saw the 27th and final edition of the KitzAlpBike Marathon under cruelly wet conditions. The hillclimb, the two new youth competitions, and the first-time organized Funduro had better luck with the weather, though.