Behind the Barriers: Double Header Heat, Thrills, and Crashes in Graz & Wels

Race recap from the back-to-back crits in Graz and Wels: with hyper-fast laps, razor-tight corners, roaring cheer zones, and temperatures pushing past 36°C—this week had it all.

Graz Old Town Criterium: High Speed & Big Energy

The historic streets of Graz's old town once again transformed into a spectacular, high-speed racing arena. Cobbles, technical turns, and brutal heat set the stage, but the crowds lining every inch of the course made every single lap unforgettable. A massive thank you to everyone who came out, banged on the barriers, and cheered us on through the sweat!

From the very first green light, the pace was relentless and attacks came non-stop. Our main objective was simple: control the front, stay out of trouble, and cover the dangerous moves. We stayed well-positioned at the point of the race throughout the night. Digging incredibly deep, Kira launched into the decisive breakaway, trading pulls until the final lap and sprinting to an impressive 4th place. Melanie fought through the heat all the way to the finish line to secure a solid result, while Anja was unfortunately caught up in a mid-race crash—reminding us just how thin the margin for error is on these inner-city courses.

Wels City Criterium: Redemption and Resiliency

By Wednesday, the convoy rolled into Wels for round two under the floodlights. Once again, the incredible spectators turned up in force, creating an electric atmosphere that made us forget the heavy legs.

Seven bonus sprints kept the pace sky-high from start to finish, with the peloton getting whittled down lap by lap. Rubbing shoulders at 50 km/h always carries risk, and halfway through, disaster struck when both Melanie and Anja were caught up in a pile-up. Showing true grit, both got back on their bikes, chased down the bunch, and fought their way right back into contention.

When it came down to the final bunch sprint, Anja dug deep to claim a strong 7th place, with Melanie following right behind in 10th. Kira crossed the line in 12th after another active night, and Jenny rounded out the team effort in 24th.

A huge thank you to our staff for once again providing outstanding, calm support in the tech zone throughout both intense race days!

This journey is made possible by the generous support of our sponsors!

Impressions