Arlberg Giro Training Plan & Preparation

Course & Elevation

The Arlberg Giro is a 141 km loop from St. Anton am Arlberg through Tyrol and Vorarlberg with just over 2,000 meters of climbing. The race tilts uphill almost from the gun: the Arlberg Pass begins at kilometer 2, climbing 6.6 km at an average of 7.6 percent for around 500 meters of gain. A long descent leads down to Bludenz, followed by rolling roads through the Montafon with several short rises.

The decisive test comes at kilometer 70, where the road climbs through the Ganifertal to the Zeinisjoch: 8.8 km at 9.4 percent average, more than 800 meters of gain and ramps beyond 20 percent. Over the top, the course drops into the Paznauntal and runs back to St. Anton, interrupted only by three short counter-climbs in the closing kilometers. In 2026 the event follows an alternative route, roughly eight kilometers shorter than the classic course, because the Silvretta High Alpine Road is closed.

The 14th edition sold out at 1,500 riders. The field is amateur and international, spectators line the villages along the route, and the scenery of alpine meadows, forests and high valleys gives the day its character.

Pacing Strategy

The course demands a clear plan around two climbs. The first comes immediately: a 6.7-kilometre category-2 pass from kilometre two with a good 500 metres of gain. Ride it at your own rhythm just below threshold — burning matches here in the early group dynamic is the most common trap. The race is decided on the hors-catégorie climb from kilometre 70: 8.8 kilometres averaging 9.4 percent with over 800 metres of gain.

This is where the field is torn apart, and anyone behind on fuelling or with over-cooked legs loses decisive time. Eat and drink consistently on the flatter sections before kilometre 70. After the big climb, descent dominates — nearly 40 percent of the course runs downhill — so a safe, aerodynamic descent and holding the group shape the finale. The small ramps of the final 20 kilometres are moderate but cost more on tired legs than the profile suggests.

12-Week Preparation

Most age-group riders will be on course for roughly four and a half to six and a half hours over the 141 km and 2,000-plus meters of climbing. The effort is fundamentally aerobic and steady, but the two major climbs each demand 30 to 50 minutes of work near threshold, and with almost 40 percent of the route pointing downhill, descending well is worth real time.

Three sections decide the day. The Arlberg Pass arrives at kilometer 2, and going too hard on cold legs there is the classic mistake. The climb to the Zeinisjoch from kilometer 70 averages 9.4 percent with ramps above 20 percent and lands exactly when fueling errors start to surface. The long descents to Bludenz and through the Paznauntal reward clean lines and confident cornering.

Build your preparation around long rides of four to five hours with the hardest climbing placed in the second half, so you learn to climb on tired legs. Add threshold intervals of 15 to 30 minutes, ideally uphill, and low-cadence strength work for the steep ramps on the Zeinisjoch. Practice descending at speed, and rehearse your race-day fueling on every long ride, because a nine-percent climb after 70 km leaves no room for an empty tank. Since the first pass starts almost immediately, plan a proper warm-up before the gun.