#TotA Day 2 - Tirol welcomes the race opening the doors of Silberregion Karwendel

Good Morning from Tour of the Alps 2024! Yesterday, Monday, April 15th, the peloton faced the first of five stages on the euro-regional roads, but the 2024 Tour of the Alps has already revealed its nature of challenging and unpredictable race. 

Norwegian Tobias Foss (Team INEOS Grenadiers) took stage 1 and the overall lead on Kurtinig ADW/Cortina SSDV's finish line, but the euro-regional race is far from having a locked-in favorite. 

The challenge for the Green Jersey Melinda continues today, Tuesday, April 16th, with stage 2 (the longest day of this 47th edition), 190,7 km from Salurn ADW/Salorno SSDV, in Südtirol/Alto Adige, to Stans, in Tirol. The euro-regional stage race will discover an area still unexplored by the event in previous years, Silberregion Karwendel, the silver region of Tirol: a novelty that adds a further hint of unpredictability for the peloton, and maybe some home field advantage for locals such as Austria's team road captain Lukas Pöstlberger, who hails from the nearbies of today's finish. 

Like the opening day, stage 2 is also a mix of different racing scenarios. The climb up to the Brenner/Brennero KOM and the Italian-Austrian border is followed by a comfortable descent, which turns into a succession of rollers and curves once in Matrei in Osttirol, on the Alte Brennerpaßstraße/Vecchia Strada del Brennero.

In the Inntal/Valle dell’Inn, the peloton will ride toward the opposite end of the valley to tackle the challenging Gnadenwald KOM. Once on top and with 15 kilometers to go, the stage will be set for the decisive attack: the route’s final part can be tricky and unpredictable because of the final, slightly upward 500 metres toward Stans.

TOUR OF THE ALPS' LEADERS

General Classification - Green Jersey Melinda: Tobias Foss (INEOS Grenadiers)
Points Classification - Red Jersey DAO Conad - Tobias Foss (INEOS Grenadiers)
KOM Classification - Blue Jersey Gruppo Cassa Centrale: Mattia Bais (Polti-Kometa)
Youth Classification - White Jersey Würth: Antonio Tiberi (Bahrain-Victorious)
Combativity Classification - Ockra Jersey Subito: Mattia Bais (Polti-Kometa)

DISPOSITION

Meeting Place: 08.30, Salurn/Salorno, Rathausplatz(Piazza del Municipio
Start: 10,30, Salurn
Finish: 15.15, Stans, Am Rain
Intermediate Sprints: Leifers/Laives (Km 22,8), Sterzing/Vipiteno (Km 102,6)
KOM: Brenner/Brennero (3rd cat., km 116,8); Gnadenwald (2nd cat., km 175,5)
Totahaus Würth Permanence: Stans, Gemeinde Zentrum, Underdorf 96°

START: SALURN ADW/SALORNO SSDV. Salurn/Salorno marks the southernmost town of Südtirol/Alto Adige and delineates the boundary between the German-speaking and Italian-speaking regions. It also signifies the culmination of the Weinstraße/Strada del Vino. The area is famed for having the largest contiguous vineyards dedicated to producing the region's white wines. The iconic Haderburg Castle, a formidable edifice from the 13th century, stands as its symbol. For cycling enthusiasts, the Via Claudia Augusta offers the most cherished bike path in South Tyrol for an unforgettable experience.

ON THE ROAD: Montan/Montagna is a quaint village nestled on a sunny plateau adjacent to the Trudnerhorn Nature Park and encircled by vineyards. Perched above the village is the majestic Schloss Enn, constructed in 1172 by the Lords of Enna. The village’s crowning glory, however, is its Pinot Noir vineyards, where the most refined of red wines has found its perfect soil in the districts of Pinzon/Pinzano and Mazon/Mazzon.

THE STAGE TASTE: Kaspressknödel, a Tyrolean specialty, are a testament to the region's culinary heritage. These dumplings, made from stale bread, mountain cheese, onions, and herbs, are fried to a golden crisp. Their flavor is spicy, crunchy, and distinctive. Integral to Tyrolean culture, Kaspressknödel are an essential part of the local cuisine.

DON'T MISS: The Wolfsklamm Gorge is one of the natural landmarks in Stans. The gorge is wildly immersed in a scenery of rocky mountains, waterfalls, emerald green water, and a marvelous panorama where the fresh mountain air creates an unforgettable atmosphere.

FINISH STANS. The Tyrolean municipality of Stans is a gem for nature lovers and culture enthusiasts alike. The Karwendel Mountains offer an idyllic setting for hikers, complemented by the stunning Wolfsklamm gorge, with its thunderous waterfalls and enchanting paths. Do not miss the Renaissance marvel of Tratzberg Castle and the St. George Monastery, gracefully balanced atop a rocky cliff.

TV DISTRIBUTION

Every day, 2 hours of Live broadcast will characterize 2024 Tour of the Alps, from 1.30 pm CET to 3.30 pm CET, thanks to the new multi-year agreement with Infront Sports & Media.
 
TV: Eurosport (Europe, Asia Pacific, Central America, South America), RaiSport (Italy, San Marino, Vatican City), ORF (Austria), Equipe TV (France, Monaco and Andorra), EITB (Spain), Flosports (USA, Canada, Australia), DirecTV (Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Perù, Uruguay and Venezuela) and RTVC (Colombia). EBU News will also distribute images from the Tour of the Alps to news programmes across Europe.

SIDE EVENTS

Salurn/Salorno:

9.30 – 10.30 - Bike parkour and bike check (primary school park)
9.30 – 10.30 - Indoor cycling (Piazza del Municipio centrale)
9.00 – 18.00 - Philatelic exhibition on bicycles (Casa Noldin)

Stans:

12.00 – 15.30 - Bike check organized by "Smirkbike" (arrival area)
12.00 – 15.30 - Stands with local products (arrival area)
12.00 – 15.30 - Concert by "7er Partie" band (arrival area)

WEATHER FORECAST: Clear sky and 18° C are forecast for the start in Salurn/Salorno, whilst in Stans the temperature will be lower, 12° C.