Ischgl, a lively ski village at about 1400 meters above sea level in Tyrol, Austria. Thanks to the vast mountain ranges, it is a beautiful and well-known place to go skiing. With mountain peaks over 3000 meters, you can even have a snowball fight in July or August. But there are multiple reasons to visit this place in the summer, especially if, like us, you love cycling.
Photo: excellent weather conditions in Austria.
During the winter season, Ischgl is a hotspot with up to 12,000 visitors per day. Perhaps less known is that the village is also a gem of a destination for all outdoor activities that don't require snow and freezing temperatures. Like MTB. Pieter and Naima represented CycloWorld in the Ischgl Ironbike. A beautiful but very challenging MTB marathon.
The municipality of Ischgl is eager to show us that they also offer an extensive network of options for both on- and off-road cycling enthusiasts during the summer. They have every reason to be proud of the extensive network of MTB trails in the immediate vicinity. Of course, there's no better way to discover all these possibilities for yourself than by participating in the Ischgl Ironbike, the three-day MTB festival that celebrates its 29th anniversary this year.
Photo: the backcountry is teeming with trails. Mostly nature trails, but also some north shore trails like this one.
Most people sign up to participate in one of the four marathon disciplines on Saturday. However, there's also a traditional city sprint on Friday evening, which is definitely worth checking out. These events are accompanied by a large Expo throughout the weekend. The event's setup ensures that everyone can get involved in the fantastic world of mountain biking and cycling, regardless of age or skill level.
In terms of marathon races, the shortest ('light') course offers 25 kilometers with just over 600 meters of elevation. In addition, there are three longer distances, all of which include the climb to Idalpe, a famous spot in the high alpine region of Ischgl at a breathtaking altitude of 2317 meters.
We sent two of our team riders to this MTB event. Naima chose the 'hard' course with 59 km and 2600 meters of elevation, while Pieter took it a step further and opted for the 'extreme' route. This course featured even more climbing, totaling a staggering 3400 meters of elevation over just 73 kilometers. Both riders found the iconic climb to Idalpe particularly challenging, followed by three steep ski slopes that are significantly easier to descend in winter.
Both riders reached an altitude of 2700 meters not once, but twice. Not an easy feat when you're accustomed to cycling at sea level. The biggest difference between the extreme and hard routes is that the former includes an additional loop through the beautiful valley from Samnaun to Compatsch, Switzerland.
Photo: Naima could still smile, despite the tough conditions.
After the final climb, there was a steep and fairly rugged off-road section with gradients reaching up to 25%. Then came the highlight: the Smugglers' Path. A magical, natural high-alpine route that was used for centuries for illegal transports between Austria and Switzerland. A climb with gradients of up to 29%. Only after this came the reward: a fast, technical descent along the nature trails leading back to the center of Ischgl.
Photo: Walking small sections is understandable with such steep gradients.
We were warned beforehand about the steep sections that required low gears and tires with plenty of grip. Perhaps we didn't take the warnings seriously enough. In hindsight, a lower gear ratio, wider tires, and lower tire pressure would have been preferable. This sometimes meant walking sections, unfortunately, but it was part of the experience, and luckily, it was never far.
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Our conclusion is clear: an excellently organized event with an enthusiastic and friendly team that makes participants feel welcome! The numerous marshals did their best to guide everyone safely in the right direction and to support them along the way with cheers, water bottles, gels, food, and drinks.
Will we return? Naima (smiling): "I would love to come back and maybe even try the extreme distance. I just hope my climbing legs can handle it." Pieter is also eager to return, saying, "But next time with wider tires for more grip and definitely a lower gear ratio. 30 up front, 50 in the back is not for the faint-hearted... but rather for the wise!"
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