Strasser sets record by conquering Austria’s seven highest peaks

Michael Strasser has set a new record by climbing the highest mountain in each of Austria’s seven mountain regions within four days, four hours and 40 minutes, ORF reported. The 43 year old extreme cyclist from Trautmannsdorf in the Bruck an der Leitha district completed the challenge 11 hours faster than any previous athlete.

Strasser completed the challenge without any outside support. He organised his own transport, food and logistics, while the previous record holder, Christian Bruckner, had a 30 person team. Strasser bought food at petrol stations and carried heavy panniers on his bicycle.

He said he managed the feat through fast climbs, shorter stops while cycling and very little sleep. He slept for three hours on each of the first three nights and for just 35 minutes on the final night.

The route began on Tuesday with a climb of Piz Buin in Vorarlberg. Strasser then travelled through all nine Austrian federal states, climbing seven mountains because the Großglockner lies on the border between Tyrol and Carinthia and the Dachstein lies between Styria and Upper Austria.

Other peaks included the Großvenediger in Salzburg, the Schneeberg in Lower Austria and the Geschriebenstein in Burgenland. The finish was at the Hermannskogel in Vienna. Strasser covered 1,100 kilometres and around 20,000 metres of elevation during the challenge, including about 1,000 kilometres between the mountains by bicycle.

Strasser said the greatest difficulty was maintaining his focus throughout the journey. He spent much of the time travelling at night, including an ascent of the Dachstein that began at midnight.

Supporters nevertheless welcomed him along the route and at the finish. In Burgenland, people waited for him with music and a celebration in a car park. In Vienna, people held signs and cheered him at almost every traffic light.

Strasser previously set a record in 2018 by cycling from Alaska to Patagonia in 84 days. Before that, he crossed Africa from Cairo to Cape Town in 34 days, also setting a world record. He said he now wanted to spend more time with his family and was not thinking about his next project.