Newsletter

Today in one month time, they will have been determined - the winners of the 2004 UCI MTB Marathon World Championships, which take place between July 9th and 11th in Bad Goisern, Austria. As the event draws closer, more and more bike pros and potential winners of the sought after rainbow jersey trek off to the small town in Upper Austria to take a closer look at the World Championship course.

Also today, a hot favourite for the title checked out the route in the beautiful Salzkammergut: Last year's winner Thomas Dietsch from France tested the course together with local riders of the DT Swiss-Merida-Austria team, MTB Austrian Vice Champion 2003, Adi Harrer, as well as the two MTB Challenge overall champions 2003, Roland Galler and Günther Pernkopf. His impression of the 106 kilometre long loop: "In comparison to the marathon route of the past two years, the World Championship course is a lot more demanding and challenging. Especially the long steep up-hills are tough”, says the French who rides for team Bianchi Agos. "What I like in particular is that this year there are fewer sealed roads." Dietsch was also impressed by the technical single trail sections. "After we passed Bad Ischl, I thought, well this was it. But then we hit the incredible climb up to the Bad Ischler Salzberg, the toughest ascend of all." After his test ride, he can hardly believe that the athletes, who compete on the 200 kilometre distance at the Salzkammergut Trophy on Saturday, must ride this strenuous loop twice. For the Worlds, Thomas Dietsch is hoping above all for good weather. In the rain with deep, muddy grounds it would be very tough for the Frenchman to finish with a top ranking. "I assume that you have to ride slightly under five hours to win this race", he says.

Those who do not have the time for a short trip to Bad Goisern prior to the Worlds, can at least check out the marathon route on paper. As of today, all route maps and elevation profiles can be downloaded from the official website www.salzkammergut-trophy.at. Practical help for photographers: on the course maps the best spots are already marked and the organisers have listed estimated passage times. Shuttle buses will take you to the more distant locations on both Saturday and Sunday. Those who want to get to the summit even quicker, can book a seat in a helicopter shuttle service for 58 Euros. www.euroheli.at also offer round trips over the marathon course.

Journalists and photographers, who haven't filed their accreditation for the Marathon Worlds yet, should do so quickly. You can register easily online in the "Press" section on the official website. Simply click on "Accreditation", fill in the online form and press send.

For room reservations you should also react immediately and contact Mrs. Kefer at the Tourism Office Inneres Salzkammergut, since accommodation in Bad Goisern is limited and quickly filling up. For sponsors and media, the tourism office has blocked some rooms in the official World Championship hotels Goisererhof and Goiserer Mühle in the centre of Bad Goisern.

Tourism Office Inneres Salzkammergut
Kirchengasse 17
A-4822 Bad Goisern,
Tel.: +43-6135-8329
Fax:+43-6135-8329-74
E-Mail: info@trophy.at

Already on Friday night all press is invited to the Recheis Pasta Party after the parade of the nations, which takes off at hotel Goisererhof at 18h00. On Saturday night, DT Swiss hosts journalists, sponsors and VIPs for a dinner at castle Neuwildenstein at 18h30.

In the press area on the official website you also find the photo archive where you can download high res. images free of charge. We offer race pictures, moods and scenic photos as well as logos. If you prefer to work with a photo-CD, you can order it free of charge from the listed PR officers of the Marathon Worlds.

Planet Talk GmbH
Sonja Güldner-Hamel
Tel.: +49-8061-350-59-12
Fax: +49-8061-350-59-10
E-Mail: sonja@trophy.at


Oberösterreich Werbung
Mag. Christian Hoflehner
Tel.: +43-732/66 20 20-556
FAX: +43-732/60 02 22-556
E-Mail: christian.hoflehner@ooew.at