Bad weather cancels TransAlp's first stage

For the first time in the history of the TransAlp race, a stage had to be cancelled. Organizers made the decision due to bad weather conditions including heavy rainfall in the start town Mittenwald and some snowfall in higher altitudes where temperatures were at 0 degrees Celsius. They were concerned about the safety of participants.

An improvement in the weather was not expected, so the cancellation of stage one was chosen over postponement.

"It would have been too dangerous to run this stage. We didn't want to take a risk," said Heinrich Albrecht, CEO of the organising event company Plan B. "Of course it is pitiful to make this decision. But the participants' health is the most important thing. It would have been to dangerous to let them ride downhill all wet."

The new official start will be on Sunday in Austria. A shuttle will take riders to Reith im Alpbachtal for an 11:00 am start (postponed from 9:00 am). Racers will finish the day in Mayrhofen in what will be a shortend stage - reduced from 87.6km to 50km since participants will not be going over the Geiseljoch after all.

"We are looking forward to the possibility of a better weather forecast."