Image: my donkey
2161 kilometers and 30,000 meters in altitude – these are the numbers that set the tone for four Upper Austrian cyclists and their support team in the past few days. Florian Werner (42), Adi Stöger (36), Bernhard Goll (42) and Peter Brandenburger (52) took part in the Race Around Austria – a circuit that runs as close as possible to the state border. And they rely on a special Upper Austrian bicycle brand: the Trauner bike manufacturer My Esel uses wooden frames. “It absorbs shocks much better than carbon or aluminum,” says Gmunden team captain Florian Werner. “And greater comfort is a decisive factor over extreme distances.”
For the Floro Racing Team, however, the Race Around Austria was just a dress rehearsal. The actual goal is to take part in the Race Across America in June 2024. Crossing the USA is then about even greater dimensions: over a distance of 4900 kilometers, 50,000 meters in altitude have to be overcome. And just like the counterpart in Austria, there is non-stop driving, with the team members taking turns.
“We’ll train, train and train until then,” says Florian Werner. One or two training camps will also be added in the spring. However, condition alone will not be the decisive factor: “We drive in two teams of two, and each has its own support team,” explains Werner. “It also depends on smooth logistics and organization. In any case, the victory at the Race Across Austria gives us great courage.”
Source: Nachrichten
