The Alps are the favourite terrain of many Central European mountain bikers. No wonder, because the most intense lactate showers on the climbs and great experiences against a fantastic backdrop often go hand in hand. But the Alps were not always a tourist destination and the ideal destination for all kinds of action holidaymakers. A good 100 years ago, the Alps gained terrible notoriety as one of the most terrifying theatres of war during the First World War. And this dark past is still present on the former front lines. Be it through the bomb craters on Monte Baldo on Lake Garda, the concrete bunkers that appear randomly somewhere in the hinterland or the shrapnel and shell casings that can sometimes be found in the gravel of the Dolomite paths.
Italians, Austrians and Slovenians in particular still remember the battles in the Alps that caused deep rifts between the nations, which were only painstakingly filled in again over time. More than a million people lost their lives in the symbolic battles on the River Isonzo alone.
World War II Transalp: a harmony of opposites
Like the Alps themselves, the World War II Transalp Alpe-Adria combines opposites in a harmonious way. Fun on the mountain bike with around 60 kilometres and 1500 metres of altitude difference per day and a huge amount of single trail are just as important as refreshing the memory of the dark history of the Alps. The crossing of the Alps, organised by the German War Graves Commission, takes participants from Austria via Italy and Slovenia to the Adriatic Sea, past some of the most important battlefields of the First World War. The cost is 725 euros per person including the two guides, a maximum group size of ten people, the luggage shuttle, the return journey and overnight stays in local hotels. A single room costs 70 euros extra.
More details on the organiser's website Link.
Adrian Kaether
Editor
