Tour of the Alps 2018 route stage 5: Rattenberg (aut)

Tour of the Alps 2018 route stage 5: Rattenberg (aut) - Innsbruck (aut)

Friday, 20 April 2018 - The final stage of the Tour of the Alps takes in 164.2 kilometres and 2,770 vertical metres. The hilly route runs from Rattenberg to Innsbruck, where the Worlds will be played out in September. The Tour of the Alps ends on a circuit that offers a first taste of the parcours of the road race.

The race leaves from Rattenberg, where the start ramps of the World Championship time trials will be next September. The 5th stage of the Tour of the Alps heads in opposite direction, though, only to return after some 30 kilometres. With 64 kilometres done the riders crest the first climb of the day in the village Alpbach. To get there they face 7.4 kilometres at 7.1%.

On descent the route continues on the course of the Worlds’ road race, which means the riders tackle the ascent to Gnadenwald at kilometre 97. This is a 2.9 kilometres uphill section with an average gradient of 10.5%, which continues onto a false flat. A drop to Hall in Tirol and then it’s back up again to Aldrans, where the route once again reunites with the road race of the 2018 World Championships. In fact, in Aldrans the riders enter the circuit of the Worlds Championship and the climb continues to Igls. Starting shortly after leaving Hall in Tirol, the ascent is 9.1 kilometres at 4.8%.

The riders drop down to the outskirts of Innsbruck and turn right before climbing back up again, first to Adrans, then to Igls until they hit the summit of the Olympia Climb. Now it’s a 7.8 kilometres climb at 5.5% and since the 13.8 kilometres lap from Innsbruck to Innsbruck is raced two times the climb features twice.

The third time atop the climb is with 12.6 kilometres remaining. The riders drop down to the outskirts once again, only to turn left on the Resselstraße. The ultimate 5 kilometres of the race are on the flat, while the finish line is on the Rennweg, just like it will be at the Worlds in September.

Yet, there is a difference. The above-mentioned circuit is raced six times at the Worlds and the last lap will take in an extra climb. Nevertheless, the last stage of the Tour of the Alps is a perfect preparation for the road race at the 2018 World Cycling Championships.

The first three riders on the line take time bonuses of 10, 6 and 4 seconds, while the intermediate sprint (at kilometre 94) comes with 3, 2 and 1 seconds.