Harald Loidl on the RAA 1500 podium

Once around Austria

Every August, a small market town in the Attergau turns into the busiest place in Austrian ultra cycling. From 10 to 16 August 2026, St. Georgen im Attergau was once again the start and finish of the Race Around Austria, and our very own Harald Loidl was right in the middle of it.

The idea goes back further than most people think. In 1988 Manfred Guthardt rode around Austria on the roads closest to the border, covering roughly 2.600 kilometres in nine days with long night stops along the way. Twenty years later Christoph Strasser rode the same historic loop in just under 100 hours, and in 2009 the first official Race Around Austria was held. It has grown ever since. The RAA 1500 was added in 2013, the CHALLENGE around Upper Austria followed in 2014 and the UNSUPPORTED CHALLENGE in 2020.

The flagship EXTREME race covers 2.200 kilometres with around 30.000 metres of climbing. It has no stages, the clock never stops, and it is the longest individual time trial in Europe as well as a qualifier for the Race Across America. This year it was also the WUCA ultra cycling world championship, and local hero Lukas Kaufmann took the title with a new course record of a little over three days and eight hours.

The RAA 1500 is the "short" loop, if you can call 1.500 kilometres short. It leaves out the western part of the country and many of the hardest Alpine passes, but still packs in around 17.500 metres of climbing and keeps highlights such as the Grossglockner. The rules for crew, pace car, safety and technical checks are exactly the same as in the full race. The RAA 1500 riders set off from St. Georgen on Wednesday 12 August.

Third place after 3 days, 14 hours and 28 minutes

Harald rolled back into St. Georgen after 3 days, 14 hours and 28 minutes, finishing the RAA 1500 in third place. That works out at roughly 17 km/h over the whole loop, every stop, every traffic light and every short nap included. For anyone who has done a long day on the bike, that number alone tells the story.

When he got in touch afterwards, the first thing he wanted to talk about was not the podium but the people around him:

"We did it! After 3 days, 14 hours and 28 minutes, we rolled across the finish line of the Race Around Austria 1500, in third place! Around 1.500 kilometres, countless metres of climbing and barely any sleep are behind us. None of this would have been possible without the amazing crew of six friends, family and VICC members, who rode along, crunched the numbers and suffered with me day and night. I may have been the one turning the pedals, but we earned this podium together. Thank you to everyone who cheered us on!"

That is very much the Harald we know. He has been a loyal part of VICCRD for many years, and anyone who has shared a group ride with him will recognise that mix of stubbornness on the bike and generosity off it.

The crew behind the rider

Nobody rides the RAA alone, even in the solo category. Harald's crew worked in two shifts of three, each with a pace car driver, a navigator and a supporter, so that someone fresh was always looking after him while the others tried to grab a few hours of rest.

Stefan, one of the crew, wore several hats over those four days. His favourite job was guiding and pacing Harald through everything a Garmin simply cannot show. "A Garmin gives you the route, but not the real life details," he told us. Train tracks that can catch you out if you hit them unwarned, rough patches of tarmac, awkward traffic islands and zebra crossings in towns all had to be called out before Harald reached them.

He was also chief mechanic, and he is rightly proud that the bike made it round without a single technical problem, the reward for the careful preparation he and Harald put in before the start. On top of that he doubled as the team photographer.

During the day Stefan guided the pace car by leapfrogging from one bus stop to the next. It sounds simple, but route and timing have to fit together perfectly, and that takes constant concentration, "especially when Harald pushes decent power numbers".

Then there was the hunt for sleeping spots. Quiet, safe and easy to reach was the brief, and in a race where sleep is this rare, every good spot counted. For Stefan it was an eye opener: "The job showed me how much planning is hidden behind an endurance event, and it taught me to stay flexible and solve problems quickly."

Jokes, starry skies and unfinished business

Stefan did not know anyone in the crew before the start, but by the finish they were firm friends. The mood stayed good throughout, and that positive energy made even the hardest hours easier. Sleep patterns were wrecked within a day and nobody really knew what day or time it was any more. Rather than complain, the crew turned the exhaustion into running jokes, and that humour kept everyone going when the tiredness hit.

One memory stands out for him above all: the quiet night skies, and the stars above Heiligenblut in particular. After the stress of the day, those calm and peaceful moments in the dark felt very special.

"RAA was exhausting, but it was also one of the most rewarding experiences I've had," Stefan says. For the crew, one thing was clear the moment it was over. They want to do it again. The only task left is to persuade Harald to sign up once more.

So, Harald, consider this your official nudge from the whole club. Congratulations on a brilliant third place, and huge thanks to the crew who made it possible. VICCRD is proud of every one of you.

Impressions