Just after the 2014 Craft BIKE Transalp finished, the dates for the 2015 event, and that of it’s sister event, BIKE Four Peaks, have been announced. The Transalp has run since 1998, and until 2013 ran as an eight day stage race from southern Germany to Lake Garda, Italy. In 2014, the race shifted to seven days. Far from being ‘Transalp Lite’, the new format also used a few more longer sections of technical singletrack, adding more difficulty to the crossing of the Alps for the 905 mountain bikers who successfully made the trip from north to south.
Stage 7 Transalp 2014.. happily in Riva. Photo by Stu Spies
In 2014, Subaru-MarathonMTB.com Mixed Pair Naomi Hansen and Stu Spies reported for MarathonMTB.com. You can read recounts of their race via the stages here:
Stage 1 | Stage 2 | Stage 3 | Stage 4 | Stage 5 | Stage 6 | Stage 7
The same format will run next year, from July 19th through to July 25th. If you’re interested in taking part, check their website for when registration opens you can lock your team in when entries open.
Protective BIKE Four Peaks
Not quite a mini Transalp, BIKE Four Peaks is a four day hard attack on the Alps. It attracts similar numbers to Transalp, but the racing is solo, and the route can be a little more technical. A very popular race, the 2015 edition will take place from June 17-20. The racing is known to be harder, and the extra technical elements add to this. More details can be found online.