Minglers Sportalm - Das Gourmet- & Geniesserhotel Mountain bike hotel in Kirchberg in Tirol / Kitzbühel Alps - Brixental / Tyrol / Austria

If you think about it that I grew up at the Arlberg and had no real interest in “high-alpine“ mountains and mountain biking, then it is quite surprising that I am now a passionate bike guide in the region I now call my home.

I had some real doubts when my mother in-law asked me 5 years ago whether I would like to present the Sportalm and take part in a bike guide training. Back then it was mountain biking – yes, but technique, trails, jumps, roots and co.? Well, what can I say, the adventure was too tempting and I hired a “proper“ bike from Kurt of the Bike Academy and went on my way to the Bregenz Forest.

It was really not easy and to be honest, I had underestimated the difficulty of this challenge. Finally, I accomplished my bike guide training after a few very tiring days and evenings. I was of course rather proud of my achievement – starting from zero and finishing at the top! Quitting was out of question. There was no holding back the next summer and we welcomed a new member to the family – a Cannondale F29. Because I had no idea about the Tyrolean Lowlands and the mountains there, which is of course not good for a bike guide, I spent countless hours in the Kitzbühel Alps, looked for my own tours and trails and just couldn’t stop because there is so much to discover.

Five years on and many bike kilometres later, I now know the Kitzbühel Alps like the back of my hand and surely have a tour that suits you, thus you can experience THAT feeling I enjoyed for the first time in summer 2012.