On the Road: Into The Wold
15.02.23 07:38 5592023-02-15T07:38:00+01:00Text: gabriwa (translated by AI)Photos: VeranstalterVacation in the region: Although winter is once again stretching its long fingers toward us and dashing any hope for an early spring, now is exactly the right time to start thinking about planning your summer vacation. Keyword: the early bird and all that.15.02.23 07:38 5652023-02-15T07:38:00+01:00On the Road: Into The Wold
15.02.23 07:38 5652023-02-15T07:38:00+01:00 gabriwa (translated by AI) VeranstalterVacation in the region: Although winter is once again stretching its long fingers toward us and dashing any hope for an early spring, now is exactly the right time to start thinking about planning your summer vacation. Keyword: the early bird and all that.15.02.23 07:38 5652023-02-15T07:38:00+01:00
The great thing about Vorarlberg is, and I mean this completely unironically, that most of us have never come into contact with it. A blank spot in the cognitive awareness of many. Yet the region offers so much more than winter sports and Schupfnudla, if you take the time and look more closely.
Last summer, curiosity got the better of me, and I spontaneously registered for the gravel event Into The Wold.
After what was probably the longest eight-hour car ride of my life (never again on German highways), we finally reached our destination: Mellau, the village where that one boy supposedly walked all the way to Schoppernau on foot, only to have aching legs afterwards. Nestled between majestic mountains, where the Mellenbach flows into the Bregenzerach, lies the small village of around 1,400 inhabitants – a scene straight out of a Heimatfilm.
The relatively newly built community center in the middle of the village square serves as the home base for participants, and registration also takes place here. Anyone who thinks it would be dead quiet on the arrival day is mistaken. Already on the first evening, there is quite a packed program: The pump track is calling!
The pump track is calling!
Hesitantly, I weigh my options: Skip the quasi-prologue and instead indulge in the diverse wellness offerings at the Hotel Rössle, or possibly take a hard fall in the pump track right at the start?
Even though I generally prefer 4 stars, participating in the time trial is out of the question. Conveniently, Specialized, one of the event's sponsors, provides a decent ride, and much to my relief, I am spared the dreaded crash and gravel rash. However, anyone who thinks they stand a chance against the local youth here will have a hard time, as the kids are fit and ride nothing else. All year round. 365 days. In winter, presumably with skis too.
Whoever has the choice is spoiled for choice: countless bike types, components, and accessories are on the market. To help you make the right decision, we thoroughly test products from the cycling world. Whether it's bikes, e-bikes, or accessories – our d
On the second day at breakfast, I realize that it’s impossible for me to participate in all the events I’m interested in. For one, there’s breakfast at the hotel in the village square followed by a themed ride. Almost at the same time, there’s the option to take part in a yoga session. Then there’s also the architecture tour – very interesting as well. Somewhere in between, there’s a trail run happening, and in the afternoon, there was also… what? Right, the talk on sustainability with tourism officials and business people. Certainly not boring either.
However, since a day only has 24 hours and I can’t be in three places at once, my choice first falls on yoga, followed by the tour hosted by Specialized and Jana Kesenheimer. Unfortunately, the weather doesn’t cooperate as planned, and the journey to Hotel Hirschen in Schwarzenberg, where the talk is supposed to take place, turns out to be a wet affair.
Actually, I wanted to test one of the new Specialized gravel bikes for the tour – a cool offer from the sponsor, especially since the new Crux had piqued my curiosity. Unfortunately, I wasn’t the only one, and as the saying goes, the last one gets the short end of the stick, as all the test bikes had already been rented out that day.
Fortunately, there isn’t just one bike sponsor at "Into The Wold,” and so a few minutes later, I find myself on my brand-new white steed, a Pastel Gravel Bike.
Finally arriving at the destination, I join about 20 other soaking wet participants to listen to the Specialized Stories. Thankfully, we don’t have to buy heated blankets – good thing, as I forgot my wallet at home anyway. After coffee and cake, we get back on our bikes and roll purposefully back to Mellau.
Unfortunately, I missed the architecture tour – bad luck – and I’m not really dressed for the talk at the moment, so I hop back into the saddle and roll back towards Argenau to the hotel, straight to the hot shower.
The Sport of Tomorrow
On the day of the big ride, we are much luckier with the weather: radiant sunshine, perfect conditions for the nearly 100-kilometer-long tour over rough and smooth.
When I arrive, around 150 riders have already gathered at the village square. Before the starting signal sounds, the mayor addresses a few words to the assembled group. You can tell the Mellau locals are proud, not only of their beautiful village but also of the event itself. It's a wonderful feeling to be welcomed so warmly.
Around ten o'clock, the start takes place, and the group begins ambitiously. Although it is explicitly not a race, it strongly resembles one, especially at the front of the pack. Is it due to the overly eager Format C youngster Rafael, who deliberately keeps the pace high? Or is it perhaps thanks to @andreasfink_official, the nimble watt monster from Andelsbuch-City? Hard to say.
After a hectic fifteen minutes in the peloton - including position battles, minor scuffles with fans, and the usual chaos - the group splits at an intersection: left for the short loop, right for the rest.
While the Löffler Racing Team takes the opportunity for an attack, I consciously ease off the pedals - I need to preserve the equipment and, ultimately, myself.
The trio of good vibes, consisting of Rafael, Christopher, and myself, sets the goal of completing the route together. A varied mix of asphalt, gravel paths, and forest roads takes us to the most remote corners of the region; twice, we briefly find ourselves in Bavaria.
The beauty of the route choice is not only the scenery but also that there are no truly steep or grueling climbs to conquer. The approximately 2,800 meters of elevation gain are spread out over the entire day in manageable segments, with the longest climbs being around 400 meters of elevation gain, so even for chubby flatlanders like me, it's not a (major) problem.
In Hittisau, roughly halfway through, the first refreshment station awaits us; we encounter a larger group sitting in the grass, enjoying all sorts of delicacies in mason jars.
You won’t go hungry on the tour as you’re served local finger food - a pleasant contrast to the usual “banana snack” from other events.
On the way back, we tackle one last hill, a section of the Brüggelekopf. With an average gradient of nearly 12%, it is the nastiest climb, but it is also relatively quickly overcome.
As the afternoon slowly comes to an end, I notice for the first time how heavily fragmented the entire landscape is. Austria ranks quite high in Europe when it comes to land consumption, keyword: sealing of green spaces, of which we develop 11.5 hectares daily. Unfortunately, this problem does not stop at Vorarlberg. Especially the large urban areas in the west, from Bregenz to Feldkirch, bear witness to this, but even here in the Bregenzerwald, the problem cannot be denied.
To conclude the tour, we take one more lap through the Werkraum Bregenzerwald – one of the absolute highlights, according to Thomas Karl, a connoisseur and expert of the art scene.
The aforementioned Werkraum serves as an exhibition space for local craft businesses and also as an event venue. Today, however, it primarily serves us as a café. A quick espresso has never hurt, especially not as a motivator for the last few kilometers.
Around 5 p.m., we finally reach the starting point in Mellau again - 100 kilometers in eight hours is not necessarily record-breaking, but we have seen and experienced a lot. That same evening, the big farewell party, including dinner, takes place - a gravel ride can hardly end much better.
On Sunday, we gather one last time in Mellau at the village square, this time for a hangover breakfast. We chat, drink coffee, and enjoy the sunshine. A beautiful vacation comes to an end, and the German autobahn awaits us. Next time, I’m definitely coming by train.
Recommendable? Definitely!
The motto is “Tired legs. Full bellies. Open hearts,” and it aims to convey that this multi-day event is not about the fastest time but the best time on the bike. Fun and community are meant to take center stage.
Are you looking for a multi-day ultra cycling challenge? Then perhaps something else might suit you better—like the Seven Serpents, for instance.
If you want to get to know the country and its people under professional guidance, you should mark Into The Wold as a must-attend event in your calendar. It will take place as usual in Bregenzerwald, specifically in Mellau, from June 29 to July 2, 2023.
Registration started on February 15—better secure one of the highly sought-after spots for the Gravel Wellness Experience right now! You can find even more impressions on the Instagram page of Into The Wold.
- Bookmark
