One of the pleasures we enjoy as cycling fans is the anticipation that builds up as the season progresses, from the Tour Down Under to the week long stage races in Spain and France to the Spring Classics and eventually the Grand Tours. Interspersed among these are an impressive number of smaller events, which may lack the international visibility of, say, the Monuments, but are great races in their own right. Nobody thinks that the Tour of the Basque Country, for example, is an easy race. Other favourites have to include the Tour de Romandie in Switzerland, along with its competitor in scenic beauty, the Tour of the Alps, which will take place from April 21 to 25 this year.
2025 marks the 48th edition of the Tour of the Alps (TotA), if one includes its predecessor, the Giro di Trentino. It is an international race that encompasses three different regions (and two languages) in Italy and Austria, with variations in the route each year. One can only imagine the organizational challenges this must pose but the promoters do not fail to put on a good show. In addition to the race itself, there are all kinds of events planned in each of the small towns the Tour will visit, highlighting the cultural attractions and sporting highlights to be found.
Given the fantastic natural beauty of the region and the challenging riding it is a race that deserves more prominence and attention from cycling fans. Eight World Tour teams will be present, along with five Pro Teams, two Continental-level and the Austrian national team. Participants will include Grand Tour winners Tao Geoghegan Hart, Jai Hindley and Chris Froome, with plenty of rising stars, such as Felix Gall, Georg Steinhauser, Matthew Riccitello and Derek Gee.
In order to give a feel for what the race will be like, the promoters have enlisted retired professional Daniel Oss to ride sections of each of the five stages of the race and describe what the action will probably be like. As an example, here is how the 4th Stage, the most difficult in the race with 3,200 m of climbing over its 162 km length, the βQueen Stageβ:
A smaller race such as TotA offers fans the chance to get close to the athletes in a relaxed atmosphere without the logistical nightmares of something like the Tour de France, with massive road closures and huge crowds. On the other hand, if you are not fortunate enough to be in Austria or Italy to enjoy the race as it happens, watching the race online may not be so easy as there would only be a limited number of broadcasters. However, FloBikes, which provides streaming services in Canada and the United States, has the race listed on its schedule for 2025, and even offers video-on-demand of previous editions.
Of course, there is another way to enjoy living the Tour of the Alps: Rouvy, the indoor cycling app that features realistic videos of real scenery, has for the past several years teamed up with TotA to offer a challenge: ride segments of all five stages of the current year. The Rouvy offering, called the βPeaks and Passes Challengeβ will launch on April 21, the same day that the real race begins. The five stages on Rouvy are each between 20 and 26 kms in length but there is some serious climbing in the forecast: the stages total 120 kms but with nearly 3,200 m of elevation gain. You can compete with others or ride alone. Either way you will still be eligible to win official Tour of the Alps kit or leadersβ jerseys.
Rouvy has a brief description of each stage, such as this one for the Queen Stage:
Tour of the Alps 2025 | Stage 4 β Obertilliach
Youβll begin riding in Abfaltersbach, Austria, following the Drau Valley, passing Hintenburg and Tassenbach, where lush meadows and traditional farmhouses line the route. The road gently ascends toward Obertilliach, a charming alpine village known for its wooden chalets and biathlon centre. It offers a mix of scenic beauty and steady climbing with 950 m of ascent.
Like most indoor cycling apps, Rouvy offers a free trial, theirs being seven days. However, it has no fewer than six different subscription plans and also has the flexibility to allow you to suspend your account, which is useful for those preferring to take advantage of seasonal good weather.
- Check out the excellent Tour of the Alps Official Website (you can even download the Roadbook used by the teams) here: www.tourofthealps.eu/en.
- For more information about Rouvy, and to sign up for your free trial and the opportunity to ride the Peaks and Passes Challenges, go here: www.rouvy.com
The post PEZ in the Pain Cave: Riding the Tour of the Alps with Rouvy appeared first on PezCycling News.
