The Tour of the Alps restarts on the wings of success: five exciting racing days from April 17th to 21st 

In just a few years, the Tour of the Alps has managed to turn into a story of success, by offering to cycling breathtaking sceneries, among the most beautiful in the sport, and magnifying the charm of the once-Giro del Trentino thanks to the beauty of its routes and locations.

The growing expectation preceding the route presentation, which took place on Friday November 4th, in the now-traditional setting of the Sala Buzzati in Milan, in front of a vast and qualified audience of media, institutions, current and former athletes and former, and opinion leaders, is a testament to this success. Even more eloquently, the nearly 14 million € media value generated by the 2022 edition of the race organized by GS Alto Garda gives a measure of the event’s consistent progression.

The data provided by United Synergies do nothing but give further impetus to the bet - now definitively won - of Trentino, Südtirol/Alto Adige and Tirol, which paved the way to the creation of the Euregio Connect EGTC (European Group of Territorial Collaboration) to give life to further shared projects.

The Tour of the Alps returns from April 17th to 21st, 2023, with its 46th edition - also counting the deep roots of the Giro del Trentino - and has unveiled the details of a route that starting from the Alpbachtal, in Tirol, with the first stage setting off in Rattenberg after the eve’s presentation and preliminary operations in Alpbach, and will end in Bruneck/Brunico after 752.6 km and through almost 15,000 meters of altitude difference.

The 2023 #TotA might be the most challenging in recent years, with two uphill finishes and all five stages capable of leaving a mark in the overall standings.

The press conference in Milan was attended by the CEO of Trentino Marketing Maurizio Rossini, IDM Südtirol President Hansi Pichler, former cyclist and Tirol Werbung consultant Thomas Rohregger, together with GS Alto Garda President Giacomo Santini, Tour of the Alps General Manager Maurizio Evangelista and President of the Italian Cycling Federation Cordiano Dagnoni. An overview on the route of the 2023 Tour of the Alps was given by former cycling champion Giuseppe Saronni, former Italian TC Davide Cassani, together with Giro d’Italia director Mauro Vegni and the Sole 24 Ore journalist Pierangelo Soldavini.

The Tour of the Alps is renowned for often revealing new spectacular climbs on the cycling panorama, and will again this year, but above all the race has further established its already very clear identity.

An identity made up of philosophical and moral values that unite the three host regions, such as sustainable mobility, hospitality and love for the mountains and outdoor sports, but also of clear and consistent technical choices that have contributed decisively to the success of the Tour of the Alps, on the road and on TV.

The Tour of the Alps has in fact affirmed its own way of interpreting cycling, which is entirely consistent with the approach of the new generation’s leading riders. Plenty of challenging climbs, significant elevation gains while avoiding extreme altitudes, short stages and off-race transfers reduced to a minimum: that’s the summary of the “TotA format”, rewarded by the appreciation of champions and teams – as shown by the number of attending World Teams year after year - as well as by the enthusiasm of an extensive and international audience.

FROM TIROL TO TRENTINO, ALL THE WAY TO THE GRAND FINALE IN SÜDTIROL/ALTO ADIGE
After the rainy and spectacular grand finale in Lienz last April, the scene of Thibaut Pinot’s thrilling return to victory and Romain Bardet’s turnaround in the overall standings, in 2023 Tirol hosts the start of the Tour of the Alps. This is the third time for the Land Tirol: both in 2017 and 2019 the race got off from Kufstein, this time it’s Rattenberg’s turn. The smallest city in Austria is not new to great cycling and the Tour of the Alps: in 2018, it hosted the start of the fifth and final stage of the #TotA in Spring, and the start of the the Elite Men's Time Trial of the Innsbruck’s World Championships in Fall.

After the eve of Sunday, April 16th, in Alpbach, at the Congress Center where the agreement that sanctioned the new "Euregio Connect" EGTC was signed in 2020, on Monday, April 17th the peloton will move from Rattenberg to reach Alpbach, after 127,5 Km. Before the uphill finish in the Tyrolean floral town, the group will face the ascents of Brandenberg and Kerschbaumer Sattel, whose double-digit slopes will arguably be the first real test for those with GC ambitions.

On Tuesday, April 18th, the longest stage of the 2023 #TotA will start from Reith im Alpbachtal, in Tirol, to arrive after 165.2 km in Ritten/Renon, in Südtirol/Alto Adige, inside the speed skating rink of the Ritten Arena, which will become a velodrome for a day. The race will cross the Italian border by climbing the Brenner Pass, before tackling the back-to-back ascents of Barbian/Barbiano and Mitterberg/Monte di Mezzo, suited for explosive climbers, in the final kilometers. 

The third day will lead the race into the third region: stage 3 starts from Ritten/Renon, Südtirol/Alto Adige, to end after 162.5 km in Brentonico-San Valentino, in Trentino. A hundred relatively simple kilometers will build up for the Lago di Cei ascent and the tough uphill finish on the top of the San Valentino Pass (15.5 km at 7.5%).

Day 4 will be raced entirely in Trentino, 152.9 Km from Rovereto to Predazzo: the athletes will start uphill facing the ramps of the Sommo Pass (15.7 Km at 7.3%) and the ascent to the Lake Santa Colomba in the first half of the stage. The Val di Fiemme will stage the final fireworks, with the ascent to the Pramadiccio Pass and the slightly uphill finish line in Predazzo.

The fifth and final stage, starting from Cavalese (Trentino) and arriving in Bruneck/Brunico (Südtirol/Alto Adige), will have an intense start with the ascent to the Lavazé Pass, the roof of the 2023 Tour of the Alps with its 1808 meters asl. However, it will be Pustertal/Val Pusteria to welcome the caravan for the grand finale. After passing on the finish line in Bruneck/Brunico for the first time, the athletes will play their last chance on the hard climb and treacherous descent of Mühlbach/Riomolino (7.8 km at 8.2%) before gliding back on the finish line, located in the elegant city center.

The five stages were previewed by the ambassador of the 2023 Tour of the Alps, Sonny Colbrelli, whose career lived one of its shiniest days in Trentino, winning the Road European title in Trento, 2021, only a few months before the life threatening episode that eventually stopped his curve as a professional. 

FIVE STAGES, 752,6 KM AND 14.790 MT ALTITUDE DIFFERENCE
The 2023 Tour of the Alps will be run over five stages and 752,6 km, featuring 10 categorized climbs and, and an overall altitude difference of 14.790 mt. 

Monday April 17th, 2023
Stage 1: Rattenberg – Alpbach, 127,5 Km
2.470 mt elevation gain. Difficulty: ***

Tuesday April 18th, 2023 
Stage 2: Reith im Alpbachtal – Ritten/Renon, 165,2 Km
2.860 mt elevation gain. Difficulty: **

Wednesday April 19th, 2023 
Stage 3: Ritten/Renon – Brentonico-San Valentino, 162,5 km
2.940 elevation gain. Difficulty: ****

Thursday April 20th, 2023
Stage 4: Rovereto – Predazzo, 152,9 Km
3.610 mt elevation gain. Difficulty: ****

Friday April 21st, 2023 
Stage 5: Cavalese – Bruneck/Brunico, 144,5 km
2.910 mt elevation gain. Difficulty: ***

AUSTRIA’S NATIONAL TEAM TO DEBUT IN THE EUROREGION
It won’t be until January 2023 that the complete list of competing teams in the race is officially unveiled, but important anticipation was already given in Milan: for the first time, there will be the Austrian national team competing in the race, ready to showcase on the #Tota the best of a rising movement, as demonstrated by the excellent overall fourth place achieved in the 2022 #TotA by the young Felix Gall.

Over the years, youngsters have often stolen the spotlights in the Euroregion, showing qualities that they would later confirm on the biggest stages of world cycling. In a year in which the Euroregion has put the emphasis on youth policies, the Tour of the Alps has highlighted this connection by inviting four young prospects representing the three territories to the prestigious stage in Milan.

Two great talents of track cycling arrive from Südtirol/Alto Adige: Matteo Bianchi, European silver medallist in the Kilo, and Mattia Predomo, Junior World Champion in the speed and keirin disciplines. Trentino presented the talent of Edoardo Zambanini and Alice Toniolli, part of the Mixed Relay winning team at the last Road European Championships, while coming from Tirol is Under 23 Marco Schrettl, former junior national champion in both the road race and the time trial, now in line for his first season in the new category with the Tirol-KTM Team, and hence has a chance to earn a spot in the Austria’s national team for the 2023 Tour of the Alps. 

SPORTLER JOINS A SOLID AND PRESTIGIOUS PARTNERS’ PANEL
The Tour of the Alps progression would not have been the same without its partners, starting from those who believed in the new course from the beginning, further consolidating and growing in number down the road. 

Also in 2023, the Tour of the Alps will proudly rely on partners such as Melinda, Cassa Centrale Banca, Alé, Vittoria, Suzuki and A22 - Autostrada del Brennero.

In addition, the Milan’s presentation provided the chance to announce the first new entry for the 2023 edition: Sportler, leading sporting goods retail chain with 45 years of history. Very established in all the three territories of the Euregio, Sportler has recently opened two prestigious megastores dedicated exclusively to the world of two wheels, in Peschiera and Bolzano.

Another great novelty is the agreement sealed with Infront, a leading player in the World of sports marketing that is set to bolster the growth of the Tour of the Alps in the coming years.

Partner radio of the Tour of the Alps already in 2022, Viva FM’s second year alongside the race has been inaugurated by a live broadcast directly from Milan’s presentation.

Giacomo Santini, GS Alto Garda President: "It’s a combination of factors that makes the Tour of the Alps unique, forging its identity: the organizational spirit, the technical formula, the participation of the riders and their commitment to the race. The route, and the territories speak for themselves: in our three lands we have climbs and descents that call for the gestures of true champions.”

Maurizio Rossini, Trentino Marketing CEO: “The Tour of the Alps is a pride of our land, the expression of a sport that has grown like no other in recent years: cycling is an outstanding way of getting around and discovering the valleys of Trentino. Almost 6 out of 10 visitors of Trentino are active tourists, and 50% of these are dedicated to cycling: events such as the Tour of the Alps bring the spotlight on our territory in this perspective.”

Hansi Pichler, IDM Südtirol President: “Over the years the Tour of the Alps has received extraordinarily positive feedback in Südtirol, finding growing consensus in the area, and has opened channels and opportunities for dialogue, also in the political sphere. Thanks to this event, we communicate all over the World that the territories of the Euregio are a real global excellence for bicycle enthusiasts.”

Thomas Rohregger, Tirol Werbung Consultant: “In 2018 our territory received a huge promotional boost thanks to the Road World Championships, and we gave consistency to this effect thanks to the Tour of the Alps. The bicycle is a key vehicle to promoting the territory and contributing to people’s health and fitness. We can't wait to host the start of the #TotA, and I wish to warn the athletes: watch out for the first stage!”

Cordiano Dagnoni, Italian Cycling Federation President: “The Tour of the Alps is a hugely important event for our calendar. Italian cycling is lacking a new star for stage races nowadays, and to form this category of riders, it’s crucial to have organizers like the #TotA’s ones, that give a unique identity to a race where riders come with the ambition of winning.”

Pierangelo Soldavini, journalist of Il Sole24Ore: "Cycling events are a successful for territorial promotion. Cycling enthusiasts are people who love the sport as well as practicing it, coming to the territory and living it. About the Tour of the Alps, I like the idea of this alliance, in the name of sports and cycling, between areas that are traditionally competitors on the tourism market: I hope that this dialogue can also lead to further developments."

Beppe Saronni: "The technical formula of the Tour of the Alps is actually ideal for a one-week race. You have sparkles, spectacle day in and day out. The Tour of the Alps offers modern cycling routes. It is a race for climbers, no doubt, and the athletes will face it with intensity from start to finish."

Davide Cassani: “The Tour of the Alps has found a strong identity, thanks to the challenging routes that distinguish the territories. You don't come to this race to build up for what’s next: you come to win. Already on day one, we will see who the main favorites of the race will be. In general, today’s races are much more spectacular than in the past and this is because we focus more on quality than quantity: we must aim to offer races that are beautiful to watch and enjoy, just like the Tour of the Alps."

Mauro Vegni, Giro d'Italia Director: "For what it proposes from a technical point of view, the Tour of the Alps brings the ‘real’ riders to the fore, and also those who can nurture ambitions for the following Giro d’Italia, a few weeks later. An identikit of the 2023 winner? He will be an absolute champion, a great climber."

Maurizio Evangelista, Tour of the Alps General Manager: “We intend to follow a technical path that embodies the modernity of cycling. Today's cycling is much more spectacular than in the past, and the curve of a rider’s career has also moved: there will be more and more precocious riders and it is right to give them great challenges to deal with. Safety is one of the greatest areas of focus for us: within our organizational team, a real mix of competence and passion, there is a technical team that works on this challenge all year round. Special thanks go to the whole team, to the institutions and partners of the event, including our latest novelties - Sportler and the new synergy with Infront."