Grazer Altstadt.Kriterium

The Grazer Altstadt.Kriterium is a short-lap road cycling race through the old town of Graz, Austria, first held in 1984. It is a criterium, meaning riders repeat the same tight city circuit many times rather than racing point to point. The race has typically been an invitation event, with past winners including Lance Armstrong, Mario Cipollini, and Jan Ullrich. After a long pause, the series returned for its 25th edition, covering about 59 kilometers over 60 laps. The original lap measures 980 meters, starting and finishing on Erzherzog-Johann-Allee near Stadtpark and Burggarten. It proceeds clockwise past the Halle fuer Kunst Steiermark, descends toward the Opera House, passes Tummelplatz, ascends Bürgergasse by the Mausoleum and Cathedral, then returns via Hofgasse and the Burgtor. Most of the course is asphalt, though riders encounter cobblestones in Bürgergasse and through the Burgtor. Earlier editions used 70 laps, totaling nearly 69 kilometers and approximately 1050 meters of climbing, a significant amount for such a compact city course. The race has featured unusual moments: Urs Freuler once won a sprint prize of a parrot, Moreno Argentin won every sprint as world champion, and amateur Roland Königshofer lapped the entire field on wet roads.