45. Ötztaler Radmarathon

The Ötztaler Radmarathon begins and ends in Sölden, covering nearly 230 km of Alpine roads between Austria and Italy. This annual cycling gran fondo, held since 1982, features four mountain passes and approximately 5,500 meters of elevation gain. The event is considered one of the most challenging of its kind because of its lengthy distance, repeated climbs, and the significant final ascent encountered after crossing into Italy. Its current location is the Ötztal valley, with Ötztal Tourismus overseeing the event since the 2000s. The course starts with 127 km in Austria, ascending Kühtai, then crossing the long but less steep Brenner Pass before entering Trentino-Alto Adige. In Italy, riders tackle Passo Giovo, a 15.5 km climb averaging 7.3%, followed by Passo Rombo, a 28.7 km ascent with gradients reaching 14%. Following the final pass, the last 29 km lead back into Austria and descend towards Sölden. The inaugural event followed an anti-clockwise route from Innsbruck, and the race later shifted between various Austrian host towns before establishing its base in Sölden. Laila Orenos holds the women's record with five victories, and Ekkehard Dörschlag leads the men's standings with four wins.