RACE ACROSS AUSTRIA NORTH-SOUTH 2025 - AFTERMOVIE

RACA NORTH-SOUTH 2025

edition02 2025

www.raceacrossaustria.com

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[Music] I think it’s the most challenging endurance race you can participate. My first challenge um and start of a long journey. I think participating in a race like that is something for people who want to go the extra mile. I love Austria and I love the mountains. This is the ultimate challenge for me and the goal is to finish this race. So I hope a dream come true that I could be able to finish the race. So I hope dream come true they could be able to finish the race. race race. So why are we doing for fun? You’re not wasting the others. you are raising your limits. It’s not about the legs. It’s all in your mind. [Music] The road doesn’t care who you are, only what you are made of. [Music] I’m very tired. What is exactly the race across Austria? The race across Austria has every year two editions. One edition is from the north to the south and the other edition is from east to west. The athletes had the choice from uh different kind of courses. One is 1,000 kilome, the other 700, 500 and also 300 km. And also for the 300 km we have created something new the gravel and there they have to do 300 km gravel and also for participants who likes to get their first contact in self-supported races we have a 100 km gravel race. I think for me the race across Austria is a very kind of uh a family event. I’m coming here and I feel like I’m welcoming everybody and everybody’s welcoming me and I see familiar faces and then you have the the racing aspect uh which I I love. In many ultra cycling events, it’s more about the experience and the experience is here as well, but there is this feel of we’re going to race, we’re going to have a good time racing, we have an adventure, but it’s also a race. We have the checkpoints and we’re going full gas in the in the front, the guys. And then some people are taking their time and that’s they have their their experience and it’s a great experience uh as well and so everybody has uh the thing that they want [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] [Applause] [Music] What? What was the problem? Thing when is that? And then he’s calling to us to solve it. God damn it. We were in the front of the race. [Music] [Music] We did it last year also from east to west in the horrible weather. So we didn’t do the gross blog. So we thought let’s do it in north south to girls globner. Problem is there’s no girls glner in north to south. So, why are we doing this? Beautiful sides, great climbing, fantastic. [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] As the sun dips below the horizon, the first day comes to a close. Some riders push into the night, chasing the edge of what’s possible. Others take a few hours of rest, knowing the road ahead is long. The clock never stops and every decision counts. And tomorrow, as the second day begins, a new wave of riders will join the challenge with the 700 km race set to begin. The journey is far from over. It’s only just begun. [Music] Hey. Hey. How is it going? Uh quite good. I’m a bit worried because uh uh Chef Chef uh just posted in the WhatsApp group that the base camp in Eisen is opening at 4:00 and uh if I’m too fast, I will be there beforehand. So trying to figure out what to do, but otherwise good weather, good legs. Uh, at the top of the climb is a little well with some water so I can restock which is nice because I’m running low. I saw I saw very many animals. Like that was incredible. I saw um yesterday evening a little like 10 deers uh 10 deer uh a little woodpecker with incredible plumage. Lots of hairs and rabbits crossing paths with me, nearly chopping my front wheel. But it’s amazing. It’s so beautiful. Last year I raced this all in the night uh with the well 700 km and I didn’t realize the mountains here are so beautiful because it was all dark. I cried uh like 4 hours ago just because it was a bit overwhelming. the the whole beauty of the of the thing and you kind of just want to stop and like stay in that moment, but you have to keep going because uh Vince is waiting and Robert is pushing from behind. Uh I’m not sure how far behind he is, but I do not want to risk anything. Uh because if he smells blood, then he will hunt me down if I get to the finish. Like it doesn’t matter in the end which place. I mean, at the moment, yeah, I want to keep the position I’m in, which is first. Uh, and it feels nice. Uh, but if Robert overtakes me because I get weak or he uh gets even stronger than he is at the moment, then that’s fine, too. It’s it’s all in the philosophy of good sports. And uh yeah, be kind. Be kind. I would say to myself at the finish, be kind, be proud, because the experience this year is absolutely amazing. Like just so beautiful everywhere. Austria is such a beautiful country. [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] At least let’s go. Yep. It is very hot, but it’s nice. We’re still enjoying it’s like it is. [Music] [Music] I think the diversity of emotions that you feel within the race are the key for me personally because I can go 3 hours and feel like it’s the most horrible thing I’ve ever felt and 3 hours later I will have the greatest time of my life and I will be like I wouldn’t miss this for the world and I totally accept how bad it was before and in that aspect I think it’s it’s it’s quality for life to to know you can go through bad patches and you put yourself in these races through bad patches on purpose so you can have the the good times and feel the good times and experience the good times even more than before. And I think for life that’s kind of a good thing to know that that you can go through the deeps to get to the highs. [Music] Pretty [Music] [Music] nice. A newspaper to read. Um, well, that’s a little bit boring, you know. We’re going to order We’re We’re getting water for free. We’re taking a Coke behind your back in the fridge. So, I’m going to pass Jack. Yes. [Music] Oh, yeah. It is so cold today. It’s okay. Finish finish with your eating and then talk to the camera. Check. Swallow it. I already just swallow it. I already did it. Okay. I’ll talk to you later. Okay. Bye. Bye. Bye. See you. Bye. [Music] Ultra cycling isn’t about the legs. It’s about your mind which let you go forward. Some chase the finish line. Others chase the impossible because everyone here is a little like everybody is a little bit bit weird who does this kind of a niche sport and uh everybody um finds their own little motivation why they’re doing this and why they want to ride a thousand kilometers through Austria over high mountains. [Music] Yeah. And you can say that I’m crazy, but I’m telling you, baby. Welcome. Play free. It’s crazy. It’s a good day. [Music] You guys [Music] Big fine. [Music] Tomorrow is another day. [Music] Tired. Very tired. Good morning. Good morning. Quite okay. Quite okay. I’m tired, but it’s okay. Not a rash. Yeah. But but how is the road? Uh steep. Steep. Yeah, the climbs are steep. Uh maybe not that long always, but those are that steep that you always need a lot of power to get up there. Yeah. I don’t know. tired, but happy to be here. [Music] [Music] Day three and the fatigue is undeniable. Most riders have crossed the halfway mark while others reach base camp 3 tucked in the southernmost part of Austria. A few will ride through the night, others will catch some precious sleep. And tomorrow, as the 500 km race joins the road, the terrain shifts again. Ahead lies the most brutal section yet deep into the mountains with long, steep, unforgiving climbs that will lead them back to the north. I think it’s the most challenging endurance race you can participate. I think the most difficult part is how you feed yourself all the time because you’re on the bike hours and hours and hours and it’s so difficult to eat and give back the body what it needs. [Music] I participated last year as well, but unfortunately I broke my collar bone last year at K22 because of gravel on the street. So my race last year was over too soon. [Music] And this year I’m going to finish strong. Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] harder than expected. H I thought here aren’t mountains because I’m from South after all, but there are. You have highs, you have lows, and you have to deal with them. But in the end, if you trust yourself and if you also have people behind you, uh it works out. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] [Music] I think I lost my second skill. [Music] Yeah, but it was very tough. [Music] [Applause] [Music] As day turns to dusk, the race rolls on. Some riders are inching closer to the finish. Others are still deep in the course, weighing whether to rest or ride through the night. The 300 km gravel race begins tomorrow, adding new wheels to the dirt and dust. The body is tired, the mind even more, and yet the challenge only grows. Out here, every hour tests what’s left in the tank and what’s still burning inside. [Music] We had good ice. We had a good ice cream on the road and uh we have for tonight we have planned a pizza party on the way at 3:00 in the morning. So we take it with us. We do like this. We do have a box and then [Music] Yes. [Music] Now we fix it very well on the back here on the door. Now preparing to go on. It seems like it’s not the first time for you. Uh it’s no it’s not the first time but I will I will fine tune a little bit. So it’s too much paper. Uh so I will cut it and will be proper. Do I finish? Okay. See you on Saturday. One leg is tired. Yeah. You do it on on your leg then go on your leg. I’m always the guy who forgot something. Oh, the glasses. Glasses for the all the insects. Bye-bye. Bye-bye. You too. [Music] [Music] I think when I have a really bad time on the bike, I usually just like have sugar. That’s always like the first good step. Sugar and water. and probably caffeine. And then music. I I think music helps me a lot when like at night when I feel bad, then I put in um some good jams from my playlist and then everything gets a little bit brighter and suddenly the energy comes back to the legs and and then when I get to the next climb, the climb is always good. You better believe I run the train. I’ll be the waiting space. [Music] Make this my stay on the rocket. Everybody [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] The final night has fallen. For the last road racers still out there, every pedal stroke is a battle against sleep, against pain, against the clock. They’ve been riding for days, giving everything to reach the finish. And as darkness slowly fades into morning light, the gravel racers are already deep into their own journey as well, carving through the silence, chasing their own limits. This is the end. The last miles, the final effort. There’s no turning back. Just the road, the resolve, and the quiet burning will to finish what they started. [Music] [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] [Applause] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat up here. [Music] Heat. Heat. N. [Music] Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. [Music] [Laughter] Um, it was tough. It was hot. And the last 15 km felt like forever. And here we are waiting for the last rider to arrive. It’s been a long journey full of quiet strength and quiet miles. Now at last the finish is in sight. [Applause] [Applause] Hallelujah. [Applause] [Music] [Music] Thank you for being when I didn’t. It wasn’t always that fun, but oh my god, it’s uh it’s something that you have to uh take time to rethink what what just happened. Overall, I must say I crossed Austria actually twice because it’s north, south, and then back north. And I must say it’s a beautiful country. The hardest was the first day, first and the second day. I mean, since I left Lind, it was a trap actually the the this checkpoint because that’s the moment when you is the most comfortable place to to to scratch. So then I kept moving and then there was no I mean no no no option to scratch to to to cancel this because I mean I I can cancel I’m out of the race but still in the middle of nowhere and I still have to come back. So maybe I can come back along my line that I see on my GPS. So that’s what actually kept me on the uh on the route because this there really there’s nothing better than just keep it moving. So last words, how was now your feeling when you reach this kind of finish? I’ve never been so happy to see T now again. Thanks a lot again. We have finished the race from all your 1,000. We are in 104 hours. [Music] Congratulations. [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] [Music] [Music]