Crossing the Alps from North to South on the main route – the Brenner Pass – the first larger city that you will reach is Brixen. The lovely old town often stages Transalp Challenges or mounatin bike festivals, since Brixen is very accessible for bikers in various aspects. One is the relatively inexpensive cable car up the Plose. In fact, if you stay over night in a hotel in Brixen, the transport including bike is free. This saves you a 1000 m climb and subsequently energy for longer high altitude rides and tough downhills.
The signature tour (and recommendation of several local guides) is the Panorama Trail Tour. At the top of the cablecar you climb further 450 meters up to Monte Telegrafo. The trail #6 takes you over a ridge down to the Ochsenalm. Spectacular views included. From the Ochsenalm the nice and easy trail #30 leads back to the top of the cable car. As the trail is very popular among hikers you have to slow down now and then and your actual speed is much slower than your desired one. Until you meet trail #4, a root strewn gnarly downhill singletrack – steep and technical – all the way down to the parking lot.
On my first ride I hit rather accidentially a newly built flow trail. Actually it was only half finished and the trail surface was still fairly soft. However, it is already a very cool run down with lots of berms and jumps – smooth but as well steep in places. I hope, I will be able to swing by next year to do the whole Plose Flow Trail (or however the name will be).
allmountaindinger's mountain bike meccas 