Photo Report Salzkammergut Trophy 2026

20.07.26 16:49 712026-07-20T16:49:00+02:00Text: Pressemitteilung, Erwin Haiden (translated by AI)Photos: Erwin Haiden, martinbihounek.com, Marc Schwarz, Kurt Reiter, Bernd SchröckelsbergerOver 4,200 bikers from 42 nations, top weather, record times and an atmosphere that is second to none. The Trophy once again showed why it is Austria's biggest MTB festival: thousands of enthusiastic spectators and helpers, countless little moments that you won't find in any results list, but definitely in our best photos.20.07.26 16:49 722026-07-20T16:49:00+02:00

Photo Report Salzkammergut Trophy 2026

20.07.26 16:49 722026-07-20T16:49:00+02:00 Pressemitteilung, Erwin Haiden (translated by AI) Erwin Haiden, martinbihounek.com, Marc Schwarz, Kurt Reiter, Bernd Schröckelsberger

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Over 4,200 bikers from 42 nations, top weather, record times and an atmosphere that is second to none. The Trophy once again showed why it is Austria's biggest MTB festival: thousands of enthusiastic spectators and helpers, countless little moments that you won't find in any results list, but definitely in our best photos.20.07.26 16:49 722026-07-20T16:49:00+02:00

After years in which either dust or mud dominated the racing, the Salzkammergut showed itself from its most pleasant side this time. Clouds alternated with sunny stretches, brief rain showers kept the dust on the ground and made sure that temperatures stayed bearable even over the long distances. The course remained demanding nonetheless. Especially in the trail sections, the wet ground demanded concentration and riding technique from the participants. Despite this, or perhaps precisely because of it, one of the fastest Trophy races ever unfolded.

When the devil makes his final appearance, fire and smoke bathe the finish arch in red light, and thousands of hands drum against the barriers to the beat of Hells Bells, then those are goosebump moments for eternity, or at least for one trip to hell and back.
exclusively at the Salzkammergut Trophy

Anyone who thinks the Salzkammergut Trophy consists solely of kilometres and vertical metres has probably never been there in person. Hours before the first start, Bad Goisern slowly fills up with bikes from all over Europe. On every street corner someone is wrenching, discussing, or quickly checking their tyre pressure one last time. The Expo resembles an open paddock, where pros, hobby riders and curious visitors stand side by side as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

With the start of the extreme distance at five in the morning, the real spectacle finally begins. Nearly 500 riders vanish into the dawn towards Ewige Wand and Raschberg. As the field spreads out, the entire Salzkammergut awakens along the whole route.

And it is precisely there that, year after year, the very atmosphere emerges that makes this event so special
over 200 km of a one-of-a-kind atmosphere, from the start in Goisern, along the course, all the way to the last finisher at the line

Even far out in the forests or along lonely forest roads, spectators stand waiting for the riders with bells, horns, rattles or homemade signs. Some have set up DJ booths, others spontaneously supply passersby with water or regional specialties. Sometimes, though, a simple "Keep it up!" is enough to mobilise fresh reserves after many hours of racing. It's exactly this mix of enthusiasm and warmth that makes the Trophy unique.

The aid stations, too, have long been part of the event's identity. Drinks, fruit, cake, snacks - the spread is more reminiscent of a small buffet than of classic race catering. Even more impressive, however, is the friendliness of the many volunteer helpers. They motivate, joke around and look after every single participant with the same enthusiasm, from the first pro to the last finisher. Without these hundreds of volunteers, an event of this magnitude simply wouldn't be possible.

Athletically, the race turned into a historic day early on
Early lead group on the way to a new best time

Already by the midpoint of the race it became clear that Manuel Pliem from Altaussee was having an exceptional day. Together with Michael Holland he pulled decisively away from the rest of the field, before Pliem upped the pace once more on the long climb towards Roßalm. At the finish the clock finally stopped at an incredible 8:47:20 hours – making him the very first rider to break the magical nine-hour mark on the extreme distance and write Trophy history. Michael Holland took second place ahead of David Schöggl.

The women's field delivered an impressive performance as well. Bianca Somavilla won the queen distance for the third time already, riding a nearly perfect race. Behind her, Germany's Yvonne Kuhnlein and Phila-Moanna Lanner from Bad Ischl completed the podium

But the Trophy isn't just about the legendary A route. Throughout the entire morning, mountainbikers and gravel riders went to the start across a total of ten different distances. More than ten percent of the starters were now already riding on gravel bikes – a sign of how naturally this discipline has become part of the event. Excellent times were achieved on nearly all of the routes.

While up front the battle is fought over seconds, a completely different story unfolds further back. There, it's often no longer about placings, but about hanging in there, about suffering together and, eventually, about arriving. It's exactly there that many of those images are created that stay in your memory long after the Trophy.

The later the afternoon gets, the fuller Bad Goisern becomes. Relatives, spectators and riders who have already finished line the marketplace and wait for the next arrivals. The announcer calls out every single finisher, thousands of spectators applaud, entirely regardless of whether it's the winner rolling across the line or someone arriving after twelve or fourteen hours.

The finish line develops its very own magic, especially in the evening. When the devil makes his final appearance, when fire and smoke bathe the finish arch in red light, when thousands of hands drum against the barriers in time with Hells Bells, those are goosebump moments for eternity – or at least for one trip to hell and back. These final metres are every bit as unforgettable for all participants as the kilometres before them.

Even away from the racing, the weekend was once again a celebration for the entire bike community. The expo invited visitors to test gear and talk shop, the Scott Junior Trophy sent hundreds of kids onto their own courses, and at the Bosch (e)Bike scavenger hunt e-mountainbikers collected points instead of vertical metres one more time. Once again, a single race day turned into an entire bike weekend for all generations.

After three days, the Salzkammergut finally bid farewell and returned to its usual calm. What remains are thousands of stories, countless photos, historic record times and, once again, the realisation that the Salzkammergut Trophy is far more than a mountainbike marathon. It is a gathering of the entire bike scene, a weekend full of emotion and, for many participants, simply that fixed point in the calendar that one works towards for a whole year.

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