July 4, 2003 (Hamburg, Germany) – From July 19 – 26, 2003, 912 well-trained mountain bikers from 26 nations will cross the eastern Alps for the sixth time in a row at this year´s adidas BIKE Transalp Challenge. A total of 456 two-person teams must overcome exactly 652.19 kilometers, 21.521 altitude meters and three countries in eight days, making their way from Mittenwald (Germany) to Riva del Garda (Italy).

In addition there are 17 hills lying between the start to the finish line. Among them the Pfitscherjoch is the highest with 2.251 meters. It´s part of the hardest and longest stage of the Challenge that goes from Neukirchen am Grossvenediger to Brixen (147.33 kilometers and 3.526 altitude meters).

There are 814 male and 98 female professional and amateur bikers who have accepted this unique mountain-bike challenge. The oldest participant is 66 years old, the youngest is only 17. The participants constitute 278 Men teams, 96 Master teams, 16 Ladies teams and 66 Mixed teams.

Also, some stars of the mountain-bike scene will start in Mittenwald on July 19th at 12.00 h. Cross-Country Olympic Champion Bart Brentjens (Team T-Mobile) will participate in his first long-distance marathon. Karl Platt and Carsten Bresser, the champions of the adidas BIKE Transalp Challenge 2002, will try to win again this year. Not as a team though, but as opponents. Carsten Bresser races with his team mate Bart Brentjens while Karl Platt forms a team with Manny Heymanns.

Last year´s champions in the Ladies category will also try again to cross the finish line in Riva del Garda first. Namely Gretchen Reeves and Lesley Tomlinson from Canada.

Futher more, biathlon Olympic Champion Fritz Fischer and silver medaillist in the cross-country skiing world championships Steffi Böhler will ride one stage as guests.

The starting shot for one of the toughest mountain-bike races in the world will be heard on July 19th at 12.00 h in Mittenwald (Upper Bavaria). The first stage leads to Reith im Alpbachtal in Austria. This town is also the starting point of the second stage that includes 85.84 kilometers on the way to Kirchberg bei Kitzbühel. From there, day three of the race goes to Neukirchen am Grossvenediger. It´s the first time in the the six-year old history of the Transalp that a city from the Salzburger Land is part of the route. Neukirchen-Brixen (Southern Tirol, Italy), that is the “royal stage” of the 6th adidas BIKE Transalp Challenge. This most difficult day inlcudes 147.33 kilometers of distance and 3.526 altitude meters. Hence, it is the longest stage in the history of the Challenge. It is followed by the fifth stage which is the shortest. In numbers, 47.59 kilometers and 2.493 altitude meters. The way from Brixen to Val Gardena / Gröden, however, is magnificent. It offers breath-taking views of the Dolomites massif. On the next day, July 24th the sixth stage ends in the picturesque city of Kaltern am See with a special valuation of the Southern Tirol stages. The route to Andalo (stage 7, July 25th) requires every effort of the bikers once more. Before the finish line of the day is reached, the Graunerjoch must be passed, a mountain with a height of 1.801 m. One last stage must be riden, including the crossing of the Passo San Giovanni and his famous single trails – narrow, craggy and full of roots. Then a big welcome awaits the riders in Riva del Garda on July 26th. After eight tough days through Germany, Austria and Italy.

The adidas BIKE Transalp Challenge 2003 was sold out after ten days. It is organized by upsolut mv. gmbh, the sports-event agency in Munich and by BIKE, Europe´s largest mountain-bike magazine.

Current informations during the race including results and photos are available on the following web sites: www.transalp.upsolutmv.com and www.bike-magazin.de