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We look forward to seeing everyone back on the greens for another exciting season!

Lars Van der Vight wins the 2022 Alps Tour Qualifying School Final Stage.

Leaderboard ( Golf Nazionale Par 72)

Quick Links-

            Final Round Leaderboard 

On-site Alps Tour Media Contact: [email protected]

Rome, November 11 th 2022 – Netherland’s Lars Van der Vight (am) wins the 2022 Alps Tour Qualifying School Final Stage with a three-day score of 11 under-par. In 2 nd place with a total score of 9 under-par, Ireland’s Robin Dawson . In 3 rd place at 7 under-par Scotland’s Stuart Easton . There was a 3-way tie for 4 th place at 6 under-par: Giovanni Manzoni (am), Theo Boulet (am) and Luca Galliano .

The final round of the 2022 Alps Tour Qualifying School Final Stage began at 8:00 am from the 1 st and 10 th hole and the leaders teed off at 9:50am from the 1 st tee. After yesterday’s cut was made, the 65 players (42 pros and 23 amateurs) who qualified for today’s final round, competed at Golf Nazionale (Par 72) to earn their 2023 Alps Tour playing card. Today was a much warmer day compared to the last 2 with clear skies and a beautiful sunshine and some wind which allowed players to take advantage of good scoring opportunities.

Final Round Players Quotes-

Netherland’s amateur Lars Van der Vight wins the 2022 Alps Tour Qualifying School Final Stage with a three-day score of 11 under-par. He was in a tie for 3 rd place after yesterday’s second round. He shot a final round 5 under-par that included 5 birdies on the front nine holes and 2 bogeys and 2 birdies and 2 bogeys to close out his round. After his win, Lars commented: “I was three shots behind the lead ahead of the round today, so I was just trying to do my own thing. Keeping it to my process and see how far I could go. I got off to a really good start being 4 under after 6 holes and from there I just played really well until the end.” He went on to add how much he enjoyed playing Golf Nazionale : “it is a really good course, you need to have good short game and putting and luckily, I putted well the past two rounds so I’m happy.” When asked about his plans about turning professional ahead of next year’s season, Lars explained he will  “remain amateur for at least a few more years and then decide what is best.”

Ireland’s Robin Dawson who was near the top of the leaderboard for the entire tournament, ended his week in 2 nd place with a total score of 9 under-par.

In 3 rd place at 7 under-par Scotland’s Stuart Easton . He shot a 3 under-par final round that included 4 birdies and 1 bogey. After his round, Stuart commented on his day: “It was nice to know ahead of today’s round that my job here was done so I could play more at ease. I had a great group today, we all played nicely and were comfortably feeding off each other. After 9 holes, I was relieved that I realized that the job was officially done and I have a job for next season. It was a great day.” When asked to it meant to him to have full status for the 2023 season, he went on to add: “I didn’t have a great year this year so now it’s great I have a full category so I can plan my year.”

There was a 3-way tie for 4 th place at 6 under-par: Giovanni Manzoni (am), Theo Boulet (am) and Luca Galliano .

Final Round-

Once today’s final round ended, 36 players received Category 6 membership, which is a full playing card for the 2023 Alps Tour Season and will be ranked according to their score. The remaining 29 players who made the cut, received Category 8 membership for next year’s season. The remaining 91 players are eligible for membership in Category 9 for the 2023 Alps Tour Season . All of the players that will be in categories 8 and 9 will be subject to the 2023 Alps Tour committee re-rank policy.

The 2023 Alps Tour Qualifying School Final Stage draws the 2022 season to an end. Now players can enjoy their winter break, until the 2023 Alps Tour season which will most likely begin in February 2023.

We wish everyone a great holiday season and look forward to seeing everyone in the new year for another great year of golf!

Follow along on www.alpstourgolf.com or the official “Alps Tour Golf” app to keep up on all the latest scores and news.

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Luca Galliano leads after Round 2 at the 2022 Q-School Final Stage.

Leaderboard (Olgiata GC Par 73/ Golf Nazionale Par 72)

            Round 2 Leaderboard

            Final Round Tee Times

Rome, November 10 th 2022 – Luca Galliano from Switzerland leads with a two-day total of 9 under-par at the end of the 2 nd round of the 2022 Alps Tour Qualifying School Final Stage . In 2 nd place France’s Louis Bellan with a total score of 7 under-par. There is a 5-way tie for 3 rd place at 6 under-par: Paul Murphy, Theo Boulet (am), Lars Van der Vight (am), Giovanni Tadiotto and Robin Dawson .

A warmer but overcast day was the backdrop of today’s second round in Northern Rome for the 2022 Alps Tour Qualifying School Final Stage . The 156 players are competing to earn their 2023 Alps Tour playing card on two different courses: Golf Nazionale (Par 72) and Olgiata Golf Club (Par 73) . Compared to yesterday’s round, today players switched between the two courses.

Players Quotes-

Luca Galliano from Switzerland has a 2 strokes lead over France’s Louis Bellan heading into tomorrow’s final round. He shot a 5 under-par 67 today at Golf Nazionale for a two-day total of 9 under-par. Today Luca was pleased as he had a tough start to his second round but was able to turn it around midway. After he signed his card, he commented: “Today was a good round, definitely a positive round. I had a rough start being +3 after 5 holes and wasn’t playing. After that I just told myself let’s try it, I hit a good shot into the 7 th hole for eagle and after that my round began. I played solid, just trying to hit every fairway, every green and make some putts.” Luca finished his round strong with an eagle on the par 5 18 th hole: “I risked it off the tee on the 18 th hole hitting driver and got rewarded with another good shot and made about a 20ft putt for a very good eagle to finish my round off.”

France’s Louis Bellan is in 2 nd place with a two-day total of 7 under-par. Today, he shot a 3 under-par 70 at Olgiata Golf Club with 4 birdies and a single bogey. After today’s round, Louis commented: “My game was pretty solid. My driving was on point today and the putts were dropping on the front nine holes. I prefer Olgiata Golf Club out of the two courses, but it’s great to be able to play on two amazing courses.”

Ireland’s Paul Murphy who yesterday was in a tie for 3 rd place at 4 under-par, concluded his 2 nd round with a two-day total of 6 under-par. Today, he competed at Golf Nazionale . He is in a share for 3 rd place heading into tomorrow’s final round.   Paul was very pleased with his tournament so far but is tremendously grateful to his friend Harry McGeary that flew in to caddy for him during the first 2 rounds this week.  After his round, Paul happily commented: “I went out there today with the intention like nothing happened yesterday and pretty much stuck to my game plan and routine but most importantly believed in myself. Every time I got down I knew I was able to get birdies along the way as I was very confident in myself so it didn’t really bug me.” When asked what he thought about starting his tournament at Olgiata GC, Paul responded: “Yesterday for me personally I had an easier start by starting on the back nine. I knew I wanted to start by going low and then the round took over itself. Luckily, I continued the momentum from yesterday’s round into the round today.” Ahead of tomorrow’s final round where 2023 Alps Tour playing cards are at stake, he said: “Tomorrow I will focus again on the same thing like today by thinking nothing happened today. Take one shot at a time and believe in myself. I put the hard work to use so far so now I just have to let it happen.”

In a 5-way tie for 3 rd place at 6 under-par: Ireland’s Paul Murphy, France’s Theo Boulet (am), Netherland’s Lars Van der Vight (am), Belgium’s Giovanni Tadiotto and Ireland’s Robin Dawson . An Italian 3-way tie for 8 th place at 5 under-par: Adalberto Montini, Niccoló Agugiaro (am) and Giovanni Manzoni (am).

A total of 65 players (42 pros and 23 amateurs) made the cut which was set at +2 (147).

The top 65 players and ties players gained access into tomorrow’s final round that will be played at Golf Nazionale . The tee times will begin again at 8:00 am from the 1 st and 10 th hole. The leaders teeing off at 9:50 from hole 1. For the final round, it is forecasted to be a sunny day with temperatures that will reach around 20°C and 10-20km/h winds.

At the conclusion of tomorrow’s final round, the top 35 players and ties will be eligible to receive Category 6 membership for the 2023 Alps Tour Season . The rest of the players who made the cut, and finished between the 36 th and 65 th position will be eligible to receive Category 8 membership for next year’s season. The remaining players will be eligible for membership in Category 9 for the 2023 Alps Tour Season . All of the players that will be in categories 8 and 9 will be subject to the 2023 Alps Tour committee re-rank policy.

Rodi Vlasveld and Marc Sabria lead after Round 1 at the 2022 Q-School Final Stage.

            Round 1 Leaderboard

            Round 2 Tee Times

Rome, November 9 th 2022 – Netherland’s Rodi Vlasveld and Spain’s Marc Sabria share the lead with a 5 under-par at the end of the 1 st round at the 2022 Alps Tour Qualifying School Final Stage . There are 7 players in a tie for 3 rd place only one stroke back at 4 under-par that includes: Ireland’s Robin Dawson and Paul Murphy .

With a brisk morning in Northern Rome, 156 players began their quest to earn their 2023 Alps Tour playing card. Players were split between Golf Nazionale (Par 72) and Olgiata Golf Club (Par 73) . The weather was favorable today, allowing players the opportunity to have good scoring conditions.

Netherland’s Rodi Vlasveld is co-leading alongside Marc Sabria after round 1 at the 2022 Alps Tour Q-School Final Stage. He shot an opening round at Olgiata Golf Club of 5 under-par 68 today with 6 birdies and a single bogey. After he signed for his 5 under-par, he proudly commented: “My game felt good, all around it was pretty solid. I’m happy with the way I began the tournament. I really love this course; the design is great and we are playing it in great conditions.”

Spain’s Marc Sabria who represents PGA Catalunya is the other co-leader at the end of round 1. He began his round with 3 birdies on the front nine and then went on to make 3 birdies and 1 bogey on the back nine to score a 5 under-par 67 today at Golf Nazionale .  After he finished his round, Marc proudly commented his round by saying: “I played really well, I played with a very intelligent mindset. I’ve played numerous times here before so I know the course very well. My goal today was just to hit the ball in the fairway and believe in my good iron play and it came out to be a very good round to start my Q-School.” When asked about his thoughts about the course he will be playing tomorrow, Olgiata GC, Marc explained: “ Olgiata is a great golf course, well actually both of them are. I’m looking forward to tomorrow even though I think Olgiata Golf Club is slightly trickier, it’s very narrow and very long. I’m definitely pleased with my opening round to get ready for tomorrow’s round.”

Ireland’s Robin Dawson is one of the 7 players who is in the tie for 3 rd place after today’s 1 st round. Today, he began his round at Golf Nazionale with 4 birdies on the front nine and then went on to make 1 birdie and 1 bogey on the back nine to conclude. When his round finished Robin commented: “I’ve been pretty confident coming into this week but you never know until you have a scorecard in your hand. I got off to a good start today being 4 under after 9 holes and it could have been a few shots better. I halted a little on the back nine, I got into a defense mechanism. Pretty please with my 68 today all in all. Hopefully tomorrow another 68 would be nice but we will see it’s a great course so I’m looking forward to it.”

At the conclusion of the tournament, the top 35 players and ties will be eligible to receive Category 6 membership for the 2023 Alps Tour Season . The rest of the players who will make the cut, and finish between the 36 th and 65 th position will be eligible to receive Category 8 membership. The remaining players will be eligible for membership in Category 9 for the 2023 Alps Tour Season.

For tomorrow’s second round, players will be alternating courses between Golf Nazionale and Olgiata Golf Club . Play will begin again at 8:00am from the 1 st and 10 th hole at each course. The weather is forecasted to be overcast with temperatures that will reach around 20°C.

After tomorrow’s round, a cut will be made to the top 65 players and ties who will gain access into the final round of the tournament that will be played at Golf Nazionale .

Welcome to the 2022 Alps Tour Qualifying School Final Stage!

Rome, November 7 th 2022 – A long-awaited week for the players trying to capture a playing card for the 2023 season. A full field of 156 players representing 20 different nations, will be competing at this year’s 54 holes Final Stage . 92 players were exempt into the field, while the remaining 64 players qualified through the three Stage 1 events that were played last week.

Players exempt into the field of Final Stage are: Alps Tour members ranked in the 2022 Order of Merit but were not admitted into the 2022 Emilia Romagna Alps Tour Grand Final field, players who participated in the 2022 World Amateur Team Championship and players who competed at the 2022 European Boys and Men Team Championships .

The 2022 Alps Tour Qualifying School Final Stage will be played in Rome. For the first two rounds, the players will be alternating between Golf Nazionale and Olgiata Golf Club . For the final round, the players that make the cut will be competing at Golf Nazionale . The tournament will be played from November 9 th until November 11 th .

The format of the tournament is a 54 holes stroke play, 18 holes a day. After 36 holes a cut will be made to the top 65 players and ties.

At the conclusion of the 54 holes, the top 35 players and ties will be eligible to receive Category 6 membership for the 2023 Alps Tour Season . The rest of the players who made the cut, and finished between the 36 th and 65 th position will be eligible to receive Category 8 membership for next year’s season. The remaining players will be eligible for membership in Category 9 for the 2023 Alps Tour Season. All of the players in categories 8 and 9 will be subject to the 2023 Alps Tour committee re-rank policy.

A lot of players, like Matt Wallace and Guido Migliozzi, who began their careers participating in the Alps Tour Qualifying School, are now winners on the major tours.

Last year, the tournament was won by France’s Martin Couvra .

For the most up-to-date entry list click here .

The Golf Courses-

Golf Nazionale , one of the venues that is hosting this week’s 2022 Alps Tour Qualifying School Final Stage, is a 6462 meters par 72 course. It is considered one of the toughest and most challenging golf courses in Italy as well as being recognized one of the toughest courses in Europe. It was designed by George and Jim Fazio and David Mezzacane , and has hosted numerous prestigious events over the years including the 1991 World Cup . Golf Nazionale is set in the natural landscape of upper Lazio with dense forests full of ancient oaks. It is a very technical but fun golf course for all types of players.

Olgiata Golf Club is home to 27 holes of golf, the West Course and the East Course. This week the players will be competing on the west course. It was inaugurated in 1961 and designed by British Architect, C.Kenneth Cotton . The west course is the older of the two and is an 18 holes course. Prestigious events like the Italian Open have been played numerous times on this course. This is the first time that an Alps Tour event will be played on this course. In 2012, it was completely redesigned by American Architect Jim Fazio to adapt it to new requirements. The current course record for the “West Course” is held by Ian Poulter and Angel Cabrera with a score of 11 under-par (61). Both players achieved the course record during the 2002 Italian Open .

The Alps Tour wishes the best of luck to the 156 players competing this week and are eager to follow the next rising golf stars #risinggolfstars !

GC Le Fonti and Miglianico G&CC promote the top qualifiers for the 2022 Q-School Finals.

Italy, November 4 th 2022- A total of 143 players were competing at Golf Club Le Fonti and Miglianico Golf & Country Club to earn access into next week’s 2022 Alps Tour Qualifying School Finals . The players concluded their Stage 1 qualifier today, where the top 26 players from Golf Club Le Fonti and top 25 players from Miglianico Golf & Country Club were promoted into the 2022 Q-School Finals

The players that qualified from the three different Stage 1 events that were held at: Acaya Golf Club , Golf Club Le Fonti and Miglianico Golf & Country Club gained access into the 2022 Qualiying School Finals. The finals will be played from November 9 th  until November 11 th at Olgiata Golf Club and Golf Nazionale in Rome where they can earn playing status for the 2023 season is up for grabs.

Stage 1 Qualifier at Golf Club Le Fonti –

Round 1 co-leader, Austria’s Nikolaus Wimmer concludes the Stage 1 Qualifier played at Golf Club Le Fonti with the lowest overall score with a two-day total of 4 under-par. Only one stroke back in 2 nd place, Finland’s amateur Matias Rantala with a score of 3 under-par. In 3 rd place, Italian amateur Gianmarco Manfredi at 1 under-par.

At the conclusion of today’s final round, the top 26 players in the overall leaderboard qualified for the Q-School Finals that will be played in Rome next week. As there was a tie for the last 5 spots available and 3 alternates, a playoff occurred to determine who would qualify. After the playoff, the 5 players that qualified were: Andrea Martini, Victor Smrcka, Elia Dallanegra (am), Thomas Recrosio (am) and Brice Ballin (am). The three alternates are: Mike Korver, Francesco Santoni (am) and Andrea Pagano.

Stage 1 Qualifier at Miglianico Golf & Country Club –

Netherland’s Rodi Vlasveld shot the lowest score of the Stage 1 Qualifier held at Miglianico Golf & Country Club . He concluded his qualifier in 1 st place with a two-day score of 9 under-par (131). In second place, with a two-day total of 7 under-par (133) France’s Maxime Radureau, who was in a tied for 5 th place after yesterday’s first round. Only 2 strokes back, in 3 rd place, round 1 leader, 16 years old, French amateur Michael Najburg with a two-day score of 5 under-par (135).

At the end of today’s round, the top 25 players in the final scoreboard earned a spot into next week’s 2022 Alps Tour Qualifying School Final Stage . As there was a two-way tie for the 25 th spot, a playoff occurred between Pierre Paoli and Antoine Bachelier (am). French amateur Antoine Bachelier came out on top and qualified with the last available spot. Pierre Paoli will be one of the alternates for the event next week.  Alongside Paoli, the other two alternates are: Mathieu Montagne (am) and Jaime Nicolau Olmos (am).

Follow along on  www.alpstourgolf.com  or the official “Alps Tour Golf” app to keep up on all the latest news (available on App Store for iOS devices and Play Store for Android).

#risinggolfstars #raisinggolfstars

Alps Tour Media Contact:   [email protected]

Acaya GC promotes the top qualifiers to the 2022 Q-School Finals.

Italy, November 3 rd 2022-  A total of 180 players are competing on three distinct golf courses throughout Italy for 64 spots that will earn them access into next week’s 2022 Alps Tour Qualifying School Finals. At next week’s event, players are able to earn playing status for the 2023 season.

Players that were competing at Acaya Golf Club , concluded their qualifier today, where 13 players were promoted into next week’s tournament. The other players that are competing at Golf Club Le Fonti and Miglianico Golf & Country Club will play the Stage 1 qualifier final round tomorrow. At the conclusion of tomorrow’s round, the top 26 players from Golf Club Le Fonti and top 25 players from Miglianico Golf & Country Club will be promoted into the 2022 Q-School Finals .

Stage 1 Qualifier at Acaya Golf Club –

Ireland’s hopeful Ronan Mullarney shot the lowest score of the 2022 Alps Tour Qualifying School Stage 1 qualifier played at Acaya Golf Club to conclude his qualifier in 1 st place with a two-day score of 5 under-par (137). In second place, with a two-day total of 1 under-par (141) France’s Antoine Santarelli . Round 1 leader, England’s Marcus Mohr concludes his qualifier in 3 rd place with a two-day score of even par (142).

After today’s round, the top ranked 13 players in the final scoreboard: Ronan Mullarney, Antoine Santarelli, Marcus Mohr, Christopher Hickman, John Hickey, Luca Pettinau, Monty Scowsill, Gabriel Naveau, Jaime Camargo, Joseph Hanney, Darren Howie, Michael Vonbank and Arnaud Ahoua earned a spot into next week’s 2022 Alps Tour Qualifying School Final Stage . The tournament will be played at Golf Nazionale and Olgiata Golf Club in Rome from November 9 th until November 11 th .

At the conclusion of the first round of the 2022 Alps Tour Stage 1 Qualifier  currently played at  Golf Club Le Fonti, Italian amateur Diego Buttironi and Austria’s Nikolaus Wimmer are in a two-way tie for the lead at 2 under-par. There is a 5-way tie for 3 rd place only 1 stroke back at 1 under-par with: Italy’s Gianmarco Manfredi (am), Spain’s Manuel Gonzalez Camarero (am), United States of America’s Blair Key, Italy’s Lorenzo Casartelli (am) and Montenegro’s Aleksandar Radoicic.

In a tie for 8 th place at even par for the day: Matias Rantala (am), Gautier Brisout de Barneville, Christian Verrougstraete, Victor Smrcka and Guerric Jacqui (am).

At the end of tomorrow’s round, the top 26 players will earn their spot into next week’s Alps Tour Qualifying School Final Stage where they will compete to earn their playing status for the 2023 season.

French amateur Michael Najburg , who is only 16 years old, leads with a 3 under-par 67 after the first round of the 2022 Alps Tour Stage 1 Qualifier  which is currently being played at  Miglianico Golf & Country Club. Michael made 6 birdies and 4 bogeys during his opening round.

France’s Louis Bellan is in a three-way tie for 2 nd place only 1 stroke back with a score of 2 under-par alongside two Netherland amateurs Che De Bake and Thom Linssen. Only 1 stroke back from the three-way tie, there is another three-way tie at 1 under-par with French amateur Paul Franquet, Netherland’s Rodi Vlasveld and France’s Maxime Radureau.

These are the only 7 players who were under-par at the conclusion of today’s first round.  At the end of tomorrow’s round, the top 25 players will earn a spot in next week’s Qualifying School Final Stage .

Marcus Mohr leads after Round 1 at the 2022 Alps Tour Stage 1 Qualifier

Acaya, November 2 nd 2022- England’s Marcus Mohr leads with a 4 under-par after the first round of the 2022 Alps Tour Stage 1 Qualifier which is currently being played at Acaya Golf Club . A former winner on the Alps Tour, Marcus is attempting to gain his playing status for the 2023 season. He opened his round today with 5 birdies and a single bogey on the front nine holes, and then closed out his round with a bogey and a birdie on the back nine. Marcus had some very strong performance over the past few years including a victory at the 2018 Open St Francois Guadeloupe .

In second place only 2 strokes back, one of Ireland’s hopefuls Ronan Mullarney with a 1 st round score of 2 under-par with 3 birdies and a single bogey. He is looking to gain playing status and stability on the Alps Tour for the 2023 season to evolve from his career on the EuroPro Tour . He turned professional in 2019 and competed in the 2022 Open Championship .

French amateur Louis Joubin , shot an even par 71 for today’s first round and sits in 3 rd place. At the conclusion of today’s round, there are only two players under-par.

The 38 players in the field were welcomed with beautiful sunny skies and a pleasant temperature with a highs around 24°. A very similar forecast is expected for tomorrow’s final round. Players will be teeing off from 8:00am until 10:12am. At the end of tomorrow’s final round, the top ranked players will gain access to next week’s 2022 Alps Tour Qualifying School Finals where full Alps Tour cards for the 2023 season will be given out.

Follow along on www.alpstourgolf.com or the official “Alps Tour Golf” app to keep up on all the latest news (available on App Store for iOS devices and Play Store for Android).

It’s time for the 2023 Qualifying School Stage 1 tournaments!

October 31 st 2022- In continuation with the past two seasons, the 18 th edition of the Alps Tour Qualifying School will take place in Italy. The 1 st Stage events will be played between November 2 nd and November 4 th in three distinct golf clubs: Acaya Golf Club , Golf Club Le Fonti and Miglianico Golf & Country Club . The Final Stage of the 2023 Q-School will occur at Golf Nazionale and Olgiata Golf Club in Northern Rome from November 9 th to 11 th .

This year more than 300 applications were submitted to take part in the 2023 Alps Tour Qualifying School . Applications were open to any male professional player that belong to a recognized PGA or Golf Federation, as well as male amateurs with a handicap below 2.0. An approximate 183 players from 22 different nations, such as the United States, Turkey, Armenia, Germany and South Africa, will compete in the three Stage 1 events.

The 1 st Stage Events will be played over 36 holes with no cut and the top ranked players will gain access to Final Stage tournament. The top ranked players at the end of Final Stage will earn a full Alps Tour card for the 2023 season. There will be 156 players in the field at the Final Stage of 2023 Alps Tour Qualifying School where currently 93 players have already been exempt into the field. The players that are exempt are: Alps Tour members ranked in 2022 Order of Merit that weren’t in the field at the 2022 Emilia Romagna Alps Tour Grand Final , players who participated in the 2022 World Amateur Team Championship as well as players who competed at the 2022 European Boys and Men Team Championships.

November 2 nd -3 rd host, Acaya Golf Resort & Spa is located in the Puglia regions of south Italy. It is a 6,192 meters par 71 course, designed by the famous American studio Hurdzan & Fry . Acaya Golf Club has hosted numerous events in the past including several Alps Tour events. The course is set in a green landscape among ancient olive trees, Mediterranean vegetation and some breath-taking elements, which include a waterfall between hole 11 and 12. Acaya GC is one of the most intriguing golf courses in Italy.

The second golf club that will host the following Stage 1 events between November 3 rd -4 th is located in Northern Italy near Bologna. The event will take place at Golf Club Le Fonti , in Castel San Pietro Terme. The course is home to 18 holes of golf and will be set as a par 71, 6411 meters. Golf Club Le Fonti is surrounded by rolling hills and a typical Emilia-Romagna landscape. It has previously hosted Alps Tour events, Ladies European Tour events and qualifying schools. This is the longest of the three courses that will host Stage 1 events. The players will have to face multiple water hazards making it a tough challenge.

Miglianico Golf and Country Club is the third course hosting Stage 1 events on the same days as GC Le Fonti , November 3 rd -4 th . Miglianico is a 5875 meters par 72 course. It was designed by well-known American golf architect, Ronald Kirby . Miglianico G&CC has hosted for seven years the Abruzzo Alps Tour Open as well as the 2021 1 st stage Alps Tour Qualifying School and the 2009 Games of the Mediterranean. The course is surrounded by vineyards, olive groves, bunkers, and artificial lakes making it a pleasant but challenging course.

Eager to follow along during this highly anticipated moment, we’d like to wish all 183 players good luck!

Follow along on www.alpstourgolf.com or the official “Alps Tour Golf” app to keep up on all the latest news and results.

Alps Tour Media Contact: [email protected]

Jonathan Yates wins the 2022 Emilia Romagna Alps Tour Grand Final!

Leaderboard-

            Final Round Leaderboard

Modena, October 8 th 2022- Jonathan Yates wins the 2022 Alps Tour Order of Merit with a three-day score of 14 under-par. In second place, Italy’s Stefano Mazzoli who concluded the event at 12 under-par after a final round of 68. France’s Julien Sale who turned pro only a few weeks ago, concluded his tournament in 3rd place with a final round 68 and moved into 2nd place of the Order of Merit rank.

Gregorio De Leo is the 2022 Alps Tour Order of Merit winner and secures himself a 2023 Challenge Tour card.

The final round of the 2022 Emilia Romagna Alps Tour Grand Final began at 7:50 am this morning with a brisk temperature and slightly overcast skies but soon after that when the final pairing teed off at 9:30 am from the 1 st hole, the sun peaked through for another beautiful fall sunny day at Modena Golf & Country Club .

The winner’s trophy that was handed to Jonathan Yates was designed and created by artist-designer Roberta Verteramo. Gregorio De Leo wins the 2022 Alps Tour Order of Merit rank and earns one of the coveted 2023 Challenge Tour cards that was up for grabs.

Jonathan Yates wins the 2022 Emilia Romagna Alps Tour Grand Final with a three-day score of 14 under-par. He earned 9,500 Order of Merit points and the winning check of €10,000.  He followed his opening round of 5 under-par, with a 6 under-par in the second round and a final round of 3 under-par to end the tournament at 14 under-par. After Jonathan’s victory, he was very satisfied: “Today was the best of the week. My game was very very solid. Stefano got off to a really quick start and put up to me early but I’m very happy I responded really well to him. It was a great day and a great week.” When asked to explain his experience on the tour this year he said: “The Alps Tour is fantastic, there is not better 3rd year tour, the tournaments and the golf courses are fantastic. The level of golf this year was phenomenal. I’m going to go 2nd stage of q-school next and then I will re-evaluate my schedule after this week’s result.”

Gregorio De Leo wins the 2022 Alps Tour Order of Merit rank and earns one of the coveted 2023 Challenge Tour cards that was up for grabs.  Throughout the season he won two events in Italy and one in After Gregorio secured his title as this year’s order of merit rank he commented: “I was nervous at the start, I knew the other players had to win for me not to qualify. I had a slow start but then luckily turned things around to end a good round. I made silly mistakes on the first few holes which cost me some bogeys but luckily, I turned things around. On the back nine, I started off on the 10 th hole with an eagle. Gregorio wins the Order of Merit following Jacopo Vecchi Fossa last year making himself the second Italian to win the order of merit in back-to-back years. When asked to comment on what it meant to him to win the Order of Merit rank, Gregorio explained: “It’s a great honor to win the ranking after Jacopo last year, I didn’t expect it. It was never a goal of mine to win the rankings, I definitely wanted to earn one of the Challenge Tour cards but I’m glad I was able to achieve both.” He wants to dedicate this win to his coach, Alain and then his entire family for their continuous support. Gregorio went on to add that, “the Alps Tour is an amazing experience if you’re an amateur or pro. The courses are great and it gives you tremendous experience especially if your ultimate goal is to reach the highest ranked tours.”  

The top 5 players in the OoM that earned themself a 2023 Challenge Tour card (from right to left): Gregorio De Leo, Julien Sale, Tom Vaillant (am), Stefano Mazzoli and Gary Hurley.

The 5 sought after 2023 Challenge Tour cards, category 12 were earned by Italy’s Gregorio De Leo, France’s Julien Sale, France’s Tom Vaillant (am), Italy’s Stefano Mazzoli and Ireland’s Gary Hurley. France’s Tom Vaillant is expected to turn professional within the next few weeks. Gregorio De Leo won with a 6,078.50 points advantage over the second ranked player that was Julien Sale .

The Alps Tour will be back in action in mid-February 2023 in Egypt.

Tournament Promoter-

The 2022 Emilia Romagna Alps Tour Grand Final is promoted directly by the Alps Tour. The event can count on the support of Regione Emilia- Romagna , Modena Golf & Country Club and Federazione Italiana Golf . The tournament also has the support of numerous sponsor suppliers such as: BPER Banca, Costa Crociere, Jaguar Land Rover, Sky Sport, Golf 2.0, Hygien Fee and Tweentee. The event also has numerous partners such as: Geo Group, Farmacia Costa, Consultants, Nanoprom, Costruzioni Generali due, Spin Automazioni, Golf’us, Ecoricerche, Gruppo Fiori, GSM, Slurp, Blondi Gioielli, Termoidraulica Venturelli/Ferretti Costruzioni, ITAS Assicurazione Agenzia Bevilacqua, Marano Lamiere, Poligolf Modena, Modula, Voiello and Parmigiano Reggiano .

Follow along on www.alpstourgolf.com or the official “Alps Tour Golf” app to keep up on all the latest news (available on App Store for iOS devices and Play Store for Android)

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Welcome to the 2023 alps tour grand final presented by auralis limitless lighting .

Cavaso del Tomba, October 16 th  2023  – After a 13-week season, it’s time for the season-ending event, the  2023 Alps Tour Grand Final Presented by AURALIS Limitless Lighting . To be eligible to participate in the sought-after final, professional or amateur players must have participated in at least 5 events in 3 different countries. The first 50 professional players and ranked amateurs inside the ‘Top 50’ are eligible to compete. To compete in the final, besides being inside the ‘Top 50’ each player must be an  Alps Tour  member.

At the end of this week’s event, the top 5 players in the  Alps Tour Order of Merit  rank will earn a  Challenge Tour  category 12b card for the 2024 season.

Current Order of Merit Leader and a 2-times winner this season, Ireland’s  Ronan Mullarney  has already secured himself one of the five coveted  Challenge Tour  cards that are up for grabs this week. Alongside him, Netherland’s  Kiet Van der Weele , who captured 3 wins his season, automatically earned himself a category 12a  Challenge Tour  card for the 2023 and the 2024 season.

The  2023 Alps Tour Grand Final Presented by AURALIS Limitless Lighting  will occur in Northeaster Italy, at Asolo Golf Club  in Cavaso del Tomba from October 18 th – 20 th  2023. This is the 1 st  time that  Asolo Golf Club  will host the  Alps Tour Grand Final  and 9 years since it last hosted an  Alps Tour  regular tournament.

On Tuesday 17 th October, with a shot-gun start at 11:00 am local time, the traditional best ball aggregate to Par Pro-Am will occur with approximately 20 teams participating.

Being the last event of the season, the best-ranked players will be competing for the  2023 Alps Tour Grand Final Presented by AURALIS Limitless Lighting  title, but more importantly, they will attempt to earn one of the 5 eagerly desired  2024 Challenge Tour  cards that will be assigned to the top 5 ranked players in the Order of Merit at the end of this week’s event.

In the field this week, all of this season’s winners will be present, which include:  Jack Floydd  winner of the season opener,  Quim Vidal , a three-times winner this season  Kiet Van der Weele , a two-times winner and the most recent winner  Ronan Mullarney ,  Luca Cianchetti ,  Jose Manuel Pardo Benitez ,  Lars Keunen ,  Manfredi Manica ,  Gianmaria Rean Trinchero and  Oihan Guillamoundeguy .

The 49 players in the field this week are competing for a prize fund of €50,000 and 60,000 points. The winner of the  2023 Alps Tour Grand Final Presented by AURALIS Limitless Lighting  will earn € 10,000 and 9,500 Order of Merit points.

The tournament format is a 54 holes stroke play, 18 holes a day with no cut. In case of a tie for 1st place at the conclusion of the 54 holes, there will be a sudden-death playoff to determine the winner of the  2023 Alps Tour Grand Final Presented by AURALIS Limitless Lighting .

The most recent winner of the tournament is Ireland’s  Jonathan Yates , who won the event in 2022, held at  Modena Golf & Country Club .

For the most up-to-date entry list, click here .

Asolo Golf Club  is home to 27 holes of golf (red, green, and yellow courses) and the  Asolo Golf Academy  for players of all levels. The 27 holes at  Asolo Golf Club , were developed by  European Golf Design . It was founded in 1995 by a group of entrepreneurs, including  Gilberto Benetton,  and the current President of the Golf Club is  Christian Benetton .

The  2023 Alps Tour Grand Final Presented by AURALIS Limitless Lighting , will be played on  Asolo Golf Club ‘s Red and Green course, which is what is usually selected for tournament play. The course will be set up as a 6283 meters, Par 72. The red course allows players to make a few mistakes despite having vast, undulating greens and deep bunkers. On the other hand, the green course is shorter and more technical, with narrow fairways, many water obstacles, and a challenging final 3 holes.

Asolo Golf Club, host of this week’s tournament. Photo Credit: Asolo Golf Club

Beyond the golf,  Asolo Golf Club  offers a well-equipped fitness center with a sauna, massage room, and relaxation area, a soccer field, a children’s playground, and tennis courts. During the summertime, there is also a swimming pool surrounded by greenery.  Asolo Golf Club  also has a guesthouse and a large conference room.

Tournament Promoter

The  2023 Alps Tour Grand Final Presented by AURALIS Limitless   Lighting  is promoted directly by the  Alps Tour .

For this event, we are grateful to have  AURALIS Limitless   Lighting  as the tournament presenting sponsor.  Auralis   is the first integrated industrial hub in the lighting field. A unique, vertical, and comprehensive group of excellence that defines a new era in the lighting sector through a strong drive for technological innovation, the pursuit of beauty, and a clear mission aimed at promoting the culture of light as a tool to improve the quality of people’s lives.

The tournament also has numerous sponsors and partners such as:  Ricoh ,  GAS Milano 1984 ,  Battistella Golf ,  Extreme Factory ,  Imball Veneta ,  Golf 2.0 Megastore ,  Twïntee ,  Federazione Italiana Golf ,  Fédération Française de Golf ,  Real Federación Española de Golf  and  Österreichischer Golf-Verband .

Follow along on  www.alpstourgolf.com  or the official “Alps Tour Golf” app to keep up on all the latest news (available on App Store for iOS devices and Play Store for Android).

#risinggolfstars #raisinggolfstars

Matteo Manassero Returns To Winning Ways At Challenge Tour Event

Manassero secured a one shot victory at the Copenhagen Challenge to claim his first win in three years

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Matteo Manassero will be a name familiar to many, with the Italian excelling throughout the early stages of his career and expecting to go on to much fame and stardom. 

However, after becoming the first teenager to win three times on the European Tour, as well as being the youngest ever winner of the BMW PGA Championship, the 30-year-old lost form badly, so-much-so, he dropped out of the World's top 1000 and even struggled to maintain Challenge Tour status in 2018.

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However, following a first victory in seven years at the 2020 Toscana Open on the Alps Tour, Manassero has found a little bit of form and, at the 2023 Copenhagen Challenge, the Italian secured his biggest victory in almost 10 years, claiming a one shot win at Royal Golf Club in Denmark.

Beginning the tournament with a three-over-par first round 75, Manassero battled back bravely with a 64 on Friday. Comfortably making the weekend, he then shot a one-under 71 to sit in tied second, but still six shots back of leader Matias Honkala.

Honkala, though, struggled over the final day and, combined with his three-over-par final round, and Manassero's six-under 66, a huge nine shot swing occurred to put the 30-year-old top.

Manassero and his wife pose with the trophy following Manassero's victory

Certainly, over the final nine holes, it was going to be tight affair, with Honkala and Casey Jarvis holding a share of the lead, and Manassero one shot behind. However, over the remaining holes, the Italian managed to fire a three-under total and, when Jarvis and Honkala struggled, it meant the title was Manassero's.

The victory came 10 years and two days after his BMW PGA Championship success, with Manassero being covered in water by his fellow players following his incredible success.

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Matt joined Golf Monthly in February 2021 covering weekend news, before also transitioning to equipment and testing. After freelancing for Golf Monthly and The PGA for 18 months, he was offered a full-time position at the company in October 2022 and continues to cover weekend news and social media, as well as help look after Golf Monthly’s many buyers’ guides and equipment reviews.

Taking up the game when he was just seven years of age, Matt made it into his county squad just a year later and continues to play the game at a high standard, with a handicap of around 2-4. To date, his best round came in 2016, where he shot a six-under-par 66 having been seven-under through nine holes. He currently plays at Witney Lakes in Oxfordshire and his favourite player is Rory McIlroy, despite nearly being struck by his second shot at the 17th during the 2015 BMW PGA Championship.

Matt’s current What’s In The Bag?

Driver: Honma TW747, 8.75°

Fairway Wood: TaylorMade Rocketballz Stage 2, 15°, 19°

Hybrid: Adams Super Hybrid, 22°

Irons: Mizuno MP54, 5-PW

Wedges: Cleveland 588 RTX 2.0 Tour Satin, 50°, 56°, 60°

Putter: Cleveland TFI 2135 Satin Cero

Ball: Titleist Pro V1x

Lilia Vu defends her title in the first Major of the year at The Club at Carlton Woods in Texas, which has a record purse

By Mike Hall Published 17 April 24

Players are competing for an increased purse in the PGA Tour’s additional event, while there are also FedEx Cup and world ranking points on offer

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The "Bavarian Sea," which covers 32 square miles, is a remnant of the Ice Age. It was formed by the glaciers that originated in Switzerland at that time. They covered the Inn River Valley and reached down to this area about 10,000 years ago. When the ice receded, the river filled the basin and left a lake. During the summer, people from the area around Munich spend their holidays and weekends here; it's a perfect place for all kinds of water sports. About 125 years ago, King Ludwig II bought one of the three islands to save it from deforestation. He admired France's Sun King and began to build a copy of Versailles castle on this island. It was never completed.

Grossglockner High Alpine Road

The Großglockner High Alpine Road takes us to the very heart of the Hohe Tauern National Park, the largest national park in the European Alps. It was built during an economic crisis in only five years (1930-1935) by more than 3,000 workers. It is said to be a masterpiece of road construction. Crossing zones of climate and vegetation equivalent to those lying between Austria and the Arctic Circle, we find an incredible variety of plants and animals. At the peak of this toll road, we become part of the 1.2 million visitors per year. You will be impressed by the scenery of peaks, glaciers, and waterfalls. The Edelweiss-Spitze offers the best vistas, a spectacular panoramic view of more than thirty peaks of almost 3,000 m (10,000 ft). Pictures and exhibitions will show you how the glacier retreated during the last century.

Bolzano (Bozen)

This area was settled by the Romans in 15 BC. General Nero Claudius Drusus, to whom the name of the first settlement in the area refers to, set up this army camp by the River Isarco. The village founded nearby was called Bauzanum. Since its foundation and elevation to a town over 800 years ago, Bolzano has been a trading point. The main reason for this was its location in between the two major cities of Venice and Augsburg. Four times a year a market was held, and traders came from the south and the north. Therefore, a mercantile magistrate was founded in 1635. Every market season, two Italian and two German officers (appointed from the traders who operated there) worked in this office. The city was a cultural cross point at that time. The city's Italian-Austrian character, enhanced by the narrow cobblestone streets, Habsburg-era churches and pervasive bilingual signage, provide for the unique charm of a city halfway between Italian and Austrian cultures. Together with its natural and cultural attractions, this makes Bolzano a renowned tourist destination. Enjoy the great mixture of the Italian-Austrian lifestyle and cuisine in the wonderful historic centre of Bozen. In the archaeological museum in Bozen lies the more than 5000 years old Ice Man. The "Oetzi" or "Frozen Fritz", as he is called, was found in the mountains right on the Italian-Austrian border. Thanks to his discovery, many secrets of the way of life during his time in history were able to be revealed.

The name Dolomites is derived from the name of the French geologist, Déodat de Dolomieu. He discovered that the limestone in this area is different in its chemical composition compared to that of the northern limestone area. Special sedimentary rocks form incredibly rough and beautiful formations like Marmolada, Sella, and the Tre Cime de Lavaredo. They are the most photographed mountains of the Dolomites. Historically, it is an interesting place. Belonging to the Austrian Monarchy during World War I, the frontline led right through the mountains. Fighting from 1916 to 1919, the soldiers had to stay in the mountains through summer as well as winter. A really tough life! Austria was one of the losers of the war. At the peace treaty of St. Germain in 1919, they agreed to hand Southern Tyrol over to Italy. That leads us to the explanation of the bilingual road signs and village names. You can very easily pick out the former border between Italy and Austria by looking at your map or by reading the signs. Don't be confused if you see village signs in three languages. The third one is Ladinish, spoken by a few people in a small area. Be prepared for an unbelievable ride in an incredible area!

Passo dello Stelvio (Stelvio Pass) (2758 m)

Planned in 1818, this pass road was built within 5 years (1820-1825) by about 2,000 workers. Because of the horse-drawn vehicles of the time, the gradient was limited to a maximum of 11%. At an altitude of 2,758 m (9,048 ft), Passo dello Stelvio is the highest pass in Italy and the second-highest paved pass of the Alps. With its 48 tight switchbacks on the northern side, it is a tourist attraction famous all over Europe and a first-class attraction for European riders. You will love it, too!

Passo di Gavia (Gavia Pass) (2618 m)

Gavia Pass, 2,618 m (8,589 ft) high and 43 km (27 mi) long, is located in Italy's Lombardy region and divides the province of Sondrio in the north from the province of Brescia in the south. The road over the pass connects Bormio in the northwest with Ponte di Legno in the south and is a single lane for most of its southern section. Gavia Pass is often part of the route of the Giro d´Italia road bicycle race and is sometimes designated the Cima Coppi, the highest point of the race. Same as Stelvio, this pass is a first-class attraction for European riders!

The small town (6000 inhabitants) is situated at an altitude of more than 6000 feet. Due to its extremely remote location, in 1805 Napoleon declared the village to be duty-free - hoping that this would help the village's development. This status remains unchanged today, making Livigno very attractive for shoppers and skiers.

AMA 100th Anniversary Alps Challenge 1 CA1

Austria    |   germany    |   italy    |   switzerland, the best of the dramatic austrian and italian alps, with fellow ama members and the ama’s editorial director.

The Alps, with their soaring elevations, curvy roads and switchback-infested passes, are always a challenge on a motorcycle. But the first-ever AMA Alps Challenge Tour will put your two-wheel talent to the test over a total of nearly 20 high-mountain passes and seven days of epic riding. The Alps Challenge Tour, designed from the beginning to be an AMA member (and family and friends) trek, starts in Erding, Germany, a town just east of Munich, and heads south into Austria, smack dab into some of the most spectacular mountains on earth. From there we’ll head further south to the medieval town of Lienz, Austria, and a day later into beautiful Collalbo. From there it’s on to Livigno, Italy, and the amazing Dolomites for a day of rest (or more riding!), and then we’ll head to the Ötztal, Austria, before riding north again toward Munich. Along the way we’ll traverse 17 of the most epic passes on earth, through Austria, Italy and Switzerland, and have a blast doing it! You’ll not only do some of best riding of your life (and probably learn a lot along the way), you’re likely to meet some lifelong friends, as well. After a long day of riding, "Edelweiss Evenings" are famous for their good times, great food and drink, and even better memories, and you’ll collect plenty. This will be an epic motorcycle trip, one you’ll remember forever!

From Mitch Boehm, AMA Editorial Director: "I can’t tell you how much fun we had on the AMA Alps Challenge Tours! With a mix of AMA members from around the country and a handful of my friends (none of whom had ever ridden in the Alps), we had a total blast each and every day, riding the rollercoaster-esque roads, negotiating the many switchback-infested passes, enjoying the amazing geography and history of the region, and of course sampling each day the food and – at night – adult beverages. It was the best Alps trip of my life, and I’ve been on several. So come play with us, either on the AMA Alps Challenge I, the AMA Alps Challenge II, or the icing on the cake at the AMA Alps Challenge III! You know it´s gonna be epic!"

• At a glance
• 9 days vacation

Tour prices & motorcycles 2024

Tour prices & motorcycles 2025, tour prices & motorcycles 2026, prices start at € 4.260,-.

Motorcycle category 1

Included services

• All overnights (comfortable middle-class hotels with alpine flair) during entire tour
• breakfast every day
• 1x picnic/lunch
• motorcycle rental with unlimited mileage
• third party liability insurance for motorcycles
• comprehensive vehicle insurance for motorcycles with deductible according to the booked motorcycle model
• tour information package in English or German including safety tips, details about the hotels, the route and the sights
• English and German speaking tour guide on motorcycle
• support van for luggage transportation (1 piece per person) and space for passengers (limited) on entire tour
• Edelweiss Riding Tips

Services not included

• All services not mentioned as included and all items of a personal nature.

Optional Services

• optional deductible reduction on included motorcycle insurance (Cover All / Cover Plus)
• additional rental options prior or post tour on request and availability

Please note

• This group tour is not suitable for people with limited mobility.

Testimonials

Edelweiss AMA Alps Challenge 1

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Tour grading.

■□□□□

The entire route is on tarmac roads in good condition, to some extend curvy but mostly easy to handle. A minimum of 5.000 miles of motorcycle riding experience is required.

■■□□□

The majority of the route is on well-developed tarmac roads with some curvy parts. A minimum of 7.500 miles of motorcycle riding experience is required.

■■■□□

The route is very twisty, occasionally on narrow tarmac roads. A minimum of 10.000 miles of motorcycle riding experience is required.

■■■■□

The majority of the route is on very demanding, very narrow curvy roads, and sometimes on single lanes. A minimum of 15.000 miles of motorcycle riding experience is required.

■■■■■

The entire route is permanently on very demanding, extremely curvy, very narrow, partly on single lanes. A minimum of 20.000 miles of motorcycle riding experience is required.

RIDING TIME/DAY

Average driving time per day.

Some of our participants enjoy riding as many miles as possible, whereas others preferred to arrive early at the hotel to enjoy the amenities before dinner. The stated driving times include breaks and photo stops, but not the time spend for lunch (between noon and 2pm, usually 1 hour). A riding day usually starts around 9 am, if necessary a little earlier.

6,0 – 7,5 h

6,5 – 8,0 h

7,0 – 8,5 h

7,5 – 9,0 h

8,0 – 10,0 h

SIGHTSEEING

Average sightseeing per day.

The time we spend for sightseeing per day varies greatly from tour to tour, from:

sightseeing every couple of days

sightseeing on every day, sometimes even several times a day

Hotel category

Casa Particulares

3 star hotel

3 to 4 star hotel

4 star hotel

4 to 5 star hotel

Tour design, one-way trip.

We will start from spot A, stay in different accommodations and end our tour at spot B.

We will start from spot A, stay in different accommodations and return to our initial spot A at the end of the tour.

We will stay in one base hotel during the whole tour and start our daily rides from there every day.

Support vehicles

Luggage van

A van for luggage transportation will be available. Since it does not follow the tour group route, it will arrive at each day’s hotel approximately around 5 pm. There is limited space for tour participants to ride in the van on certain days, however, the van will not go the same route that the group does.

Back-up van

On these tours there is a support van for luggage transportation. As a matter of safety this van will follow the motorcycle group on most of the riding days. Therefore, participants luggage will not arrive at the hotel prior to the group. On some tours the support vehicle is an open pick-up. In these circumstances, participants will have to re-pack their luggage into waterproof luggage bags. On some days there is limited space for tour participants to ride in the van.

Expedition van

These tours will be accompanied by an escort vehicle for safety, service and first-aid only. The participants need to pack their belongings on the bike.

On these tours there is no van available. The participants need to pack their belongings on the bike.

Tour guide in van

On these tours the group rides on its own (there is no motorcycle mounted tour guide) while the tour guide brings up the rear, driving the support van and transporting the luggage. The tour guide will be at each stop to fulfill his/her travel accompaniment duties. No tour guide on the motorcycle accompanies the group.

Luggage transport

Edelweiss will transport the luggage of the participants from hotel to hotel.

No tour guide

This is a self-guided tour without a tour guide.

Tour Support Van

Should you need support while climbing an incline or simply need a break, then our support vehicle is always at your disposal. It will be there within a few minutes so that you can relax. There is only a limited number of seats available!

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AMA & Edelweiss Alps Challenge Tour

Home » News » AMA & Edelweiss Alps Challenge Tour

Come ride the amazing Alps with us in August!

April 7, 2021

By Mitch Boehm

Photos by Edelweiss Bike Travel

If you’ve been around motorcycling a good bit it’s a good bet you’ve heard or read about it – the it being a motorcycle tour of the Alps, a region offering some of the most epic rides in all of motorcycling.

From the twisty, challenging roads and epic mountain passes, to the lush valleys and quaint little towns, to the soaring Alpine peaks, to the glaciers and lakes, to the warm hospitality, unique Alpine cultures, history and sublime food and drink, there is literally nothing on earth quite like touring the Alps. Ask anyone who’s done it and get ready to get an earful.

The good news is that, this coming summer in late August, the AMA and Edelweiss Bike Travel are teaming up to offer what we’re calling the AMA Alps Challenge Tour …and you’re invited!

Check the link below for details, but the basics are these: We’ll start in Munich, ride south into the Austria, and spend the next seven days exploring a host of high mountain passes, geography, historical towns and the unique Alpine culture of Austria, Italy and Switzerland. It’s an epic experience, and one you’ll remember for the rest of your days.

You’ll wake up, grab a yummy breakfast, have a short meeting with the group, head out on your bike of choice (adventure tourers are ideal here, trust us), ride like crazy, grab espresso along the way, ride some more, take in a superb lunch, ride like crazy some more and, finally, check in at the evening’s hotel, where you’ll clean up and head down to the restaurant (or bar) for some refreshing beverages, tall tales (and some lies!) from the day and a sumptuous Alpine meal. Then it’s up to your room for some rest (under a foot-thick down comforter!) so you can do it all over again the next day. Sound good? You betcha!

Included in tour pricing (which starts at around $4500 per person including bike rental but not travel to Munich) are comfortable, mid-level hotels with an Alpine flair, breakfasts, two picnic lunches along the route, dinners, insurance, tour guides, a support van, etc. The link below has pretty much all the information you’ll need, but contact the folks at Edelweiss at Edelweissbike.com should you have any other questions.

It’s looks like Editorial Director Boehm called dibs on AMA representation during the tour, so we’re hoping some of you can report back to tell us just how slow he really is! We’ll continue to update things here and in the pages of American Motorcyclist , so stay tuned. Hope you can join us! https://www.edelweissbike.com/amachallenge1

• ← AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer Del Kuhn Passes
• AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days 2021 is On! →

Express Tour du Mont-Blanc

This is our most challenging self-guided trip – a true high-mountain trail run for the trail runner who can take care of himself in big mountain terrain over long days that include technical trails and lots of vert. If you’re an experienced runner who’s completed trail ultras and is comfortable with the weather and terrain of remote mountain environments, this could be the trip for you.

The Tour du Mont-Blanc is famous world-wide for its challenge and beauty and has gained an iconic status thanks to the UTMB® series of races. The “TMB” covers 170km and 10,000m of ascent and descent as it wends its way from France, through Italy, then Switzerland, finally returning to its starting point in front of the St Michel church in Chamonix.

Run the Alps has privately offered this itinerary for a number of guests in past years. Now, we’re pleased to offer it to everyone. Although normally run in a week, experienced, exceptionally fit mountain runners can achieve the whole tour in four back-to-back days.

This trip is for trail runners who have their eyes on one of the UTMB® races in the years ahead, or who simply want to test their limits on a classic mountain running route. The itinerary includes the UTMB® and CCC® courses, and much of the TDS®, OCC® and MCC® routes, too. This tour will enable you to gain familiarity with the whole area of the race route and would, of course, be ideal training for the UTMB®.

We’ll also include the Run the Alps Guide to Trail Racing in the Alps , for those of you prepping for an Alps race. As an official, licensed UTMB® Training Partner with UTMB®, Run the Alps has close links with the organization and can provide detailed information about the races, along with supporting materials.

We organize all the key self-guided tour logistics. (Details below.) One 30-pound bag will be transported via pre-arranged taxi service each day, so you can run with just a light trail running vest – and you’ll still have all your items available at the end each day’s run.

The itinerary is as follows:

Day 1: Arrive Chamonix, France

Day 2: Chamonix, France to Les Contamines, France – 23km and 1380m ascent

Day 3: Les Contamines, France, to Courmayeur, Italy – 48km and 2763m ascent

Day 4: Courmayeur, Italy to Champex-Lac, Switzerland – 48km and 2410m ascent

Day 5: Champex-Lac, Switzerland to Chamonix, France – 46km and 2460m ascent

Day 6: Depart Chamonix, France

*There are options to shorten the route each day.

Please email us first before booking this trip. We’d like to hear a bit about your trail running experience before booking this trip for you. For the right person, trail running the “TMB” in four days is a classic experience!

You can run the Tour du Mont-Blanc any time from mid-June through mid-September. For your convenience, we pre-booked tour dates. If you’d prefer custom dates, please contact us.

TOUR CHALLENGE

Self-guided tour FAQ

When you sign up for a Run the Alps trip, your itinerary will be planned in detail.

Each self-guided tour includes the following components:

*In-country shared shuttle transport from Geneva airport to Chamonix, and return at the end of the trip.

*Three-star hotel and mountain hut bookings.

*Dinners each night, except in Chamonix and Courmayeur; restaurant recommendations will be provided.

*Thorough travel instructions, regional information, our Guide to Trail Running in the Alps , and detailed run descriptions printed on durable, waterproof paper, complete with a run profile, time estimates, bail-out options, emergency numbers, and a map. See a sample of the ‘Overview’ section.

Typical pricing is $2,400 for a double-occupancy, 5 night, 6 day Express Tour du Mont-Blanc tour. $690 single supplement available in Chamonix and Courmayeur.

Our Express Tour du Mont Blanc self-guided trip can start as early as June 15th and as late as September 20th.

As we work with you to develop your self-guided itinerary, consider adding one of the many great Alp trail races  to your plans. Please contact us  to discuss trail race options and timing.

No matter where you are, on every self-guided trip, if a serious problem arises, Run the Alps is just a phone call away.

Terms and Conditions : Read up on Run the Alps’ Terms and Conditions and travel insurance.

Concerned about being ready? We can help! We’ve teamed up with the wonderfully supportive team at Vert.run to offer customized training plans tailored to each Run the Alps trip. Once you’ve signed up for a trip, we’ll email you all the details and your unique code for your FREE first month of training! In the meantime, you can start exploring the plans here .

Need a hand preparing?

Alps Journey Bike Tour

Conquer Legendary Cols of the French Alps

Our Levels range from 1-4. Learn more .

Tour Highlights

• Ride through the heart of the Alps to conquer France’s greatest, hardest, and most famous climbs, including the Alpe d’Huez, Col du Galibier, Col d’Izoard, and Col de la Bonette
• Discover the quiet and secluded—but no less stunning—Maritime Alps, where you’ll have perfect ribbons of road all to yourself
• Immerse yourself in TDF lore, passing over and through some of the most iconic climbs and villages in Tour history
• Pedal your way from Lake Geneva to the Mediterranean Sea, covering dramatically different climatic conditions and landscapes
• Ride like a pro in custom Rapha x DuVine gear: jersey, socks, and cycling cap are complimentary on all Level 4 tours

Nourishing and satisfying Alpine fare to fuel our epic rides, including raclette cheese, tartiflette , fondues, and fresh Alpine lake fish

Delicate Pinot Noir from Savoie, craft beers, and the aromatic aperitif génépi

As featured in:

Geneva, Annecy, and the Savoy

Welcome to an epic week of cycling. Before we head out across the Alps, meet your guides on the shores Lake Geneva for a short transfer to our starting point. There’s no honeymoon ride and the Mediterranean isn’t getting any closer, so we start with 12 kilometers of steady climbing—and this pass doesn’t even warrant a name. Today’s name-worthy climb is the Col de Tamié, an approachable 9.7 kilometers at 4% on narrow (but scenic) roads. Rest up at tonight’s hotel in the heart of the Savoy region—the thermal spa makes a soothing soak for sore legs.

Meals:  Lunch / Dinner Destinations: Annecy, Albertville Accomplished: 73 miles / 117 km, elevation gain: 6,361 feet / 1,939 meters Accommodations: Hotel Radiana

Madeleine and Glandon

Yesterday we climbed some hills; today we climb some mountains. Our to-do list consists of twin cols, and there are mere moments to warm up before we hit the Col de la Madeline first. It’s a hair-raising way to start the day, with 26 kilometers averaging 6.1%. The descent into La Chambre offers some sweet relief before we tackle the Col du Glandon: a 21-kilometer climb at 6.9% with the final two kilometers over 10%. Get in the zone for the last stretch to tonight’s hotel, where we’ll have a taste of Alpine food and hospitality.

Meals:  Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner Destinations: La Chambre, Vaujany Accomplished: 62 miles / 99 km, elevation gain: 12,952 feet / 3,948 meters Accommodations: Hotel V de Vaujany

4 for 4: Alpe d’Huez to Galibier

After a breakfast fit for a professional cyclist, we head east on roads that make all the fatigue worthwhile: one lane of crisp asphalt clinging to the edge of the Romanche Valley, and not a car in sight except for the support van. Our first real challenge is the most famous of them all: the Alpe D’Huez and all 21 of its hairpin switchbacks. After that, the Col de Sarenne and Col du Lautaret might as well be considered cool-downs. There’s extra credit for anyone who wants to tag the summit of Galibier—what’s another eight kilometers at 7% for some serious bragging rights? Descend down the valley into Le Monêtier-les-Bains. If you have the energy, take a walk around town and stretch your legs as you head to dinner on your own tonight.

Meals:  Breakfast / Lunch Destinations: Alpe D’Huez, La Grave Accomplished: 68 miles / 110 km, elevation gain: 11,164 feet / 3,403 meters Shorter Option: 58 miles / 94 km, elevation gain: 9,281 feet / 2,829 meters Accommodations: Le Monêtier

We’re halfway through the trip. Your legs are sore. But the hump today is none other than the Col d’Izoard. This climb was the battleground for the epic rivalry between the legendary Italian, Fausto Coppi, and the French great, Louison Bobet, in the 1950s. It is also the highest point of our tour at 2,360 meters. We are heading south into the Maritime Alps where the passes aren’t household names but the riding is out of this world: no cars, just ribbons of pavement winding through pines and mountain pastures. This is exactly what we’ll experience on the Col de Vars before rolling into Villa Morelia for a relaxing afternoon by the pool or a much-needed massage.

Meals:  Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner Destinations:  Briançon, Guillestre, Jausiers Accomplished: 66 miles / 107 km, elevation gain: 8,738 feet / 2,664 meters Accommodations:  Villa Morelia

Col de la Bonette

The Col de la Bonette is billed as the highest pass in Europe—which means we have basically no choice but to conquer this gentle (or perhaps not-so-gentle) giant. A one-kilometer warm-up prepares us for the 24-kilometer climb through Mercantour National Park. At its steepest, the gradient hits 15%, but it’s easy to distract yourself with the extraordinary views all around. The flying descent down the other side is equally as memorable: towns begin to look more and more Italian, and we start to feel the hint of a Mediterranean breeze. Tonight, we feast like locals on good, honest food served in an outdoor setting, then rest up for tomorrow’s final push.

Meals:  Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner Destinations: Jausiers, Bousieyas, Isola Accomplished: 60 miles / 96 km, elevation gain: 8,997 feet / 2,743 meters Accommodations: Pure Montagne Resort

Ride to the Sea

Our last ride is nothing short of spectacular as we follow one-way roads all the way to Nice, but one more col stands between us and our celebrations: the Col de Turini. It’s easy to understand why pro riders flock here in droves—the city’s mountainous backyard makes a perfect training ground, and luxurious recovery is within easy reach. Take a victory lap around the harbor, have champagne on the beach, and check into our sea-view hotel. The afternoon is all yours: spend it blissed out on the beach or weaving through the bustling port before we celebrate our last evening like champions. Our journey across the Alps has earned us a platter of fresh fish, veggies, pasta, and olive oil—a culinary reflection of all the ground we’ve covered along the way.

Meals:  Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner Destinations:  Nice Accomplished: 58 miles / 94 km, elevation gain: 6,235 feet / 1,901 meters Accommodations: Hôtel la Pérouse

Enjoy an easy morning and decadent breakfast at our hotel. Your guides will transfer you to the Nice airport or TGV train station as you head to your next destination.

Meals:  Breakfast

DuVine itineraries may be subject to slight route changes, hotel substitutions, and other modifications.

Arrival Details

Departure details, travelers take note.

Our Journey tours are designed to reach small towns where hotel options are often limited and/or seasonal. Due to availability and routes, groups may sometimes be split between different properties, which are of the highest standard available in the area.

Upon booking this tour, you will be asked to complete a short form. We use this information to ensure all Level 4 trip participants are adequately prepared for our most difficult riding and have proximate cycling experience to the rest of the group.

Due to altitude, weather can change quickly. Expect anything from peak summer heat to hail and snow in a single day, and pack accordingly. Helpful hints about dressing for all climates can be found on our blog .

Please note that e-bikes cannot be reserved for this tour.

Dates + Availability

Any scheduled tour can be made private. Your group, your dates. Go Private

A Single Supplement is applied to secure a private room for solo travelers.  Learn more .

• Dates Price Special Events  
• Jun 9 – 15 $5,095 Book Now
• Aug 18 – 24 $5,095 Book Now

See our cancellation policy

Weather by Month

Average Temperature + Precipitation

Inclusions + Details

Accommodations

• Thoughtfully selected accommodations that reveal the true character of the region in ideal riding locations
• Luggage transfers
• Daily breakfasts, all lunches, and 5 cyclist-friendly dinners at our favorite local restaurants and renowned culinary establishments
• Nutritious energy snacks, hydration, and shakes to support endurance and recovery
• Local wines and beer with every meal
• Wine tastings and activities as outlined in the tour itinerary
• Entrance fees to historic sites, museums, parks, and all other exclusive events
• Gratuities for baggage, porters, and hotel service
• Top-of-the-line Cannondale carbon fiber road bike
• Exclusive Rapha x DuVine jersey, socks, and cycling cap
• Complimentary DuVine gear, including a DuVine t-shirt, water bottle, and drawstring bag
• GPS with pre-programmed route maps
• Expert bilingual guide with extensive cycling experience and local knowledge
• Support vehicle that follows the day’s route, distributes refreshments, and offers lifts
• Pick-up and drop-off before and after your tour from predetermined meeting points
• Laundry service provided mid-week
• Daily bike maintenance to ensure optimal performance
• Dinner on one free night
• Gratuities for DuVine guides
• Travel Protection

See our FAQs page for answers to common questions.

Synapse 2 RLE

Manufacturer: Cannondale

Included in trip price

• Tour Guides

David Lefevre

Ernesto Araneda

Lewis Roberts

Marco Lombardi

Quentin Come

Tom Coppock

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Geraint Thomas ‘Better Than Last Year’ and Bullish for Giro-Tour Double at Tour of the Alps Tune-Up

Welsh veteran buoyed by solid spring training in advance of tour of the alps and a summer of swinging at pogačar at the giro d'italia, tour de france..

Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! >","name":"in-content-cta","type":"link"}}'>Download the app .

Geraint Thomas and his road to the Giro d’Italia – Tour de France double passes through this week’s Tour of the Alps.

Ineos Grenadiers’ GC warhorse lines out at this weeks’ Alps tour with a mind toward the Giro startline early next month and a full summer of swinging at Slovenian slayer Tadej Pogačar.

“I feel good, better than last year, and our team has both quality and experience in this race,” Thomas said ahead of Tour of the Alps. “The opponents are there, but we have confidence.

“It’s a tough race with the climbs. It’s good timing, a few weeks before the start of the Giro, so it gives time to fine-tune things. A good, hard five days of racing in the mountains is always good,” Thomas told Wielerflits .

Thomas will return to the Giro d’Italia on May 4 with business to finish.

The Welshman spent eight days in the back-half of last year’s race wearing the maglia rosa and seemingly poised to secure pink.

Primož Roglič’s infamous penultimate TT raid ripped the jersey from Thomas’ back and motivated the Welshman to return.

This year’s corsa rosa will throw another Slovenian into Thomas’ wheels.

Pogačar will join Thomas in the quest for cycling’s “Holy Grail” of victories at both the Giro d’Italia and Tour de France in one season.

Despite a very low-key start to this season for the 37-year-old Thomas, the optimism is there ahead of cycling’s cruelest challenge.

“My preparation has been better than last year hopefully,” he said. “I’ve had more consistency this year, so I’m looking forward to a good one.

“The Giro didn’t end the best way but with the start of the season I had, it was still a good one,” Thomas said. “We’ll see what this year brings.”

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Tour of the Alps (@tourof_thealps)

Thomas has flown way below the radar so far this season, particularly when compared to his Giro rival Pogačar and his five victories in nine rampaging race-days.

A stripped-down race program and long spell atop Sierra Nevada in the past month has seen Thomas – who turns 38 in the final week of the Giro – focus on precision-guided training efforts over racing form.

“I’ve had slightly different preparation this year with the Giro and Tour,” Thomas said. “But all I’m thinking about now is the Giro, so I’m trying to take it steady in the build up. We’ll deal with what’s after the Giro in June.

Freshness will be key for Thomas as he pedals his way toward the grand tour double and its fiendishly difficult five-week turnaround.

And so will a support team capable of taking on Pogačar’s UAE Emirates super-squad.

Ineos Grenadiers is giving Thomas a full Giro d’Italia dry-run in the Alps this week in what is his final grand tour preparation race.

Tobias Foss, Thymen Arensman, and Filippo Ganna all line out for the five-day Alpine tour ahead of planned starts at the corsa rosa in three weeks’ time.

“I’ll take what I can here. In every race I want the best possible result.,” Thomas said. “We’ll see how the legs are and take any opportunity that comes.”

The Tour of the Alps starts Monday with a typically vert-heavy opening stage in the Italian Tyrol.

Ben O’Connor, Hugh Carthy, and Romain Bardet will all be there and, like Thomas, looking toward their Pogačar problem at next month’s Giro d’Italia.

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by INEOS Grenadiers (@ineosgrenadiers)

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Tour of the Alps: Alessandro De Marchi blows up the early break to win stage 2

A lone attack netted Italian veteran Alessandro De Marchi (Jayco-AIUia) stage 2 of the Tour of the Alps , as Tobias Foss and his Ineos Grenadiers team kept the race lead for a second straight day despite giving up on the chase of the early break of the day. 

De Marchi, a three-time Vuelta a España stage winner and 2021 Giro d’Italia leader,

powered away from closest pursuer and breakaway companion Simon Pellaud (Tudor ProCycling) on the main climbing challenge of the 190-kilometre stage, the cat.2 Gnadenwald.

Powering along the flat valley road that followed, De Marchi crossed the line in Stans, Austria with an advantage of over a minute on Patrick Gamper (Bora-Hansgrohe), with Pellaud coming home in third.

On a day when the GC battle was all but neutralised and with De Marchi not an overall threat, the Ineos-controlled peloton came home two minutes down on the stage winner. 

Ineos lead the peloton for much of the 190km stage but then gave up the chase when other teams refused to help with the chase.

“It took a lot of effort to win but I was confident because a few years ago I found a new nice super environment here in Jayco and I knew it was just about the right moment, the right time,” 37-year-old De Marchi said emotionally of his win after pointing to his Jayco-AlUla jersey as he crossed the finish line.

“I was already up there in the Giro last year, and this year, again I’m there, and with a bit of luck and courage, sometimes it happens.”

He agreed that with so many young riders currently impacting on the sport, to take a win at nearly 38 felt even more special, concluding simply - “It means a lot.”

How it unfolded

The first 30 kilometres of the 190 km stage saw multiple, unsuccessful attacks, but then just as on Monday’s opening stage, an identical number of six riders finally formed the early move of the day. 

Once again, Simon Pellaud (Tudor ProCycling) was amongst their number, although on this occasion locally born racer Patrick Gamper (Bora-Hansgrohe) joined the Swiss rider, along with veteran breakaway specialist De Marchi (Jayco-AIUIa) and former teammate Lukas Postlberger (Austria National Team) , as well as two JCL Team UKYO riders, Yuma Koishi and Atsushi Oka.

The six riders extended their lead to three minutes on the interminable drag up to the Passo del Brennero. At 1,370 metres above sea level it was both the high point of the stage and the point where the Tour of the Alps crossed over from Italy into Austria.  

By the summit of the Passo del Brennero, their advantage had reached over four minutes, prior to Ineos Grenadiers beginning a more cohesive pursuit on the long, equally rolling descent that followed.

The break had slowly diminished in size, losing first both JCL Team UKYO riders and then Postlberger on an uncategorized ascent. Then Gamper launched the first serious bid from the break for victory with a lone attack at 35 kilometres to go. 

Clearly motivated by racing on home soil, the current Austrian national time trial champion’s attack over the top of a small unclassified climb quickly gained around 15 seconds. But with so much flat in the Inn valley before the final key ascent of the Gnadenwald, whether he could really go the distance remained a moot point.

Gamper was no threat on GC at nearly nine minutes down, so Ineos Grenadiers initial desire to keep things under control visibly eased several notches in any case as the final climb approached. Nother teams picked up the chase and so suddenly the breakaway knew they had a chance of victory.

Gamper initially appeared the best-placed rider to win. However, after battling into a strong headwind his advantage shrank notably on the lower slopes of the Gnadenwald and three kilometres from the top, the trio regrouped, only for De Marchi immediately to put in a steady acceleration.

Gamper quickly fell back under the impact of De Marchi's painful pace, and on the steepest section Pellaud struggled, too. He clung on briefly, only for De Marchi to turn the screws a little harder and drop the Swiss rider 2.5 kilometres from the top. 

Two and a half long years had passed since De Marchi’s last win in the Tre Valli Varesine, but the Italian veteran, clearly in strong form, was determined to make this one count. By the much easier higher section, the Jayco-AIUIa rider had opened the gap yet further and then began to time trial to victory.  

With 14 kilometres to go, De Marchi had an advantage of 41 seconds on a flagging Pellaud and the stage was effectively his, with only a slight misjudgement on one of the trickier, tighter right-hand corners of a descent offering some hindrance to his progress. 

Moving onto the flat valley floor, De Marchi upped his lead by another 10 seconds and smiled in delight as the last kilometre approached. Not even a last small uphill drag could stop him from claiming his seventh career win.

Stage 2 belonged to the breakaways but stage 3 should be far more of a GC day. At 124.8 km, it is a punchy, short affair starting and finishing in the town of Schwarz in Austria. 

There are four tough category 2 ascents in the final hour and the last, the Pillberg, is just four kilometres from the finish. 

With 38 riders at less than a minute overall, Foss could well have a much tougher task on his hands to defend his lead of just a few seconds but for him and for De Marchi, the Tour of the Alps is already a major success.

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A Challenge Tour player in 2019, Nicolai Hojgaard was an integral part of the winning 2023 European Ryder Cup team in Rome. In additional Nicolai is a three time DP World Tour winner and recent Rolex Series Winner winning the historic DP World Tour Championship to close a memorable 2023.

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Breaking news, billionaire karl-erivan haub, presumed dead, may be living in moscow with younger woman: reports.

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A billionaire long believed to have died in a skiing accident may actually be alive and living with a younger woman in Moscow, new evidence has suggested.

Karl-Erivan Haub, then 58, vanished on a solo ski tour in the Alps on April 7, 2018.

A six-day search yielded no sign of the businessman, and he was declared dead by a German court in 2021, according to the Seattle Times .

Now, however, the state prosecutor’s office in Cologne has opened a probe into allegations that Haub’s brother, Christian, provided false information when he said he had zero information indicating that his brother could still be alive, the Daily Beast explained .

The investigation followed a criminal complaint from journalists with the broadcaster RTL that were looking into Haub’s disappearance, the outlet said.

One of the journalists, investigative reporter Liv von Boetticher, told Capital magazine that she was aware of photos allegedly showing Haub in Moscow in 2021 – the same year he was legally declared dead.

“As far as I know, these photos were obtained on behalf of Christian Haub and two internal investigators working for him by an Israeli-American company that searched the biometric surveillance system in Moscow for images of Karl-Erivan Haub,” she explained.

The coincidence in appearance between Haub and the person in the images was about 90%, according to a Stern magazine report from March 2023 .

Based on her information, Boetticher explained, Christian Haub had access to the photos when “he stated under oath to the Cologne District Court in May 2021 that he had ‘no reliable evidence’ that his brother was still alive.”

Boetticher insisted that there is “strong evidence that [Karl-Erivan Haub] could have caused his disappearance intentionally and that at least parts of his family were aware of it and, against their better judgment, kept this secret from the Cologne District Court and the public.”

Haub – who was born to German parents in Tacoma, Washington, and educated in Switzerland – was married and had two adult children at the time of his disappearance. 

The latest evidence, however, suggested that he may have a younger woman on the go in Russia, Boetticher told Capital.

“There was an alleged lover of Karl-Erivan Haub, with whom he had frequent telephone contact before his disappearance and who is in contact with the Russian domestic secret service FSB,” she said.

Rumors about Haub and his alleged mistress, Veronika Ermilova, have circulated since around 2020, when his wife, Katrin, publicly sparred with her brothers-in-law over whether to have him declared legally dead,  the Times reported .

Haub supposedly called Erminolca’s number 13 times three days before his disappearance, the Times added, citing RTL.

The billionaire was also rumored to have had a Russian passport in addition to his US and German citizenships, the outlet said.

There was also speculation that millions of euros in Tengelmann funds had been funneled to Russia between 2010 and 2015.

Haub vanished just one month after the death of his father, Erivan Haub.

At the time of his death, the elder Haub was worth an estimated $6.4 billion, according to Forbes .

Boetticher indicated that the reason for Karl-Erivan Haub vanishing could be linked to the family’s business dealings.

 “Our suspicion is that dealings with Russia or with Russian business partners may have put Karl-Erivan in trouble in the Western world,” the journalist suggested to Capital.

Christian Haub took over the Tengelmann Group as sole CEO shortly after his older brother disappeared.

His lawyer, Mark Binz, vehemently denied the journalists’ allegations in a comment to Zeit Online.

“Of course, there is no truth to the accusation,” Bonz scoffed. “Until a few weeks ago, the Cologne public prosecutor’s office saw it that way and therefore refused to start an investigation.”

With Post wires

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Tour of the Alps 2024 route

47th edition for five-day ProSeries event

The 2024 Tour of the Alps will cover 709.3 kilometres and 13,250 metres of elevation gain on the five-day journey from Neumarkt/Egna to the finale in Levico Terme, both in Italy, with one-and-a-half days in Austria. The UCI ProSeries event runs from April 15 to 19.

Stage 1 begins Monday, April 15 in Egna, covering 133.3 km. The climbing adventure begins just 26km from the start with the long category 3 Andalo, a 15km ascent that averages 5.1%. After a category 2 ascent at Penon (4.4% at 9.4%), the decisive climb could be just 17km from the finish in Cortina sulla Strada del Vino, a second climb of Penon on a finishing circuit. 

Stage 2 offers this year's longest route at 189.1km, and the second highest amount of elevation gain, 2,510 metres, for racing into Tirol. Once the peloton speeds past the first of two intermediate sprints 22.5km from the start in Salorno, it is all a gradual uphill for the next 93km, where the route reaches the summit at Brenner. On the other side, a series of climbs lead to the category 2 Gnadenwald (4.6km at 7.4%) which will launch riders to the final 15.5km to an uphill finish in Stans.

The third stage, 127km, takes place completely in Austria with the start and end in Schwaz. Once out of the Tyrolean city in the lower Inn valley, the route follows a rolling path across the first 85km, then takes on a pair of categorised climbs twice with a finishing circuit. First is the Weerbert, at 3.2km and 9.5%, then immediately the riders are on the ascent of Pillberg, at 3.2km and 9.9%. After the second circuit, the descent from the Pillberg will see riders plummet down the final 6km to the finish in Schwaz. 

Following a transfer back to Italy, the peloton will ride the final two stages in Trentino. Stage 4 on Thursday is the queen stage with 141.3km across 3,830 metres of elevation gain starting at Laives. There are only two categorised climbs - Passo del Compet (10.2km at 8.1%) and Passo del Vetriolo (9.3km at 8.7%) - which come back to back on the second half of the route, but four other climbs in the mix pack a punch. The final climb is Col San Marco (5.2km at 7%) and it provides a launchpad with 9.1km remaining to the finish in Borgo Valsugana.

Stage 5 features a start and finish in Levico Terme, with 118.6km and 2,490 metres of elevation gain to determine the overall winner. Two ascents of the cat 1 Palù del Fersina (12.5km at 6.2%) punctuate the decisive journey. Once across the summit a second time, it is only 16km to the finish.

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Jackie has been involved in professional sports for more than 30 years in news reporting, sports marketing and public relations. She founded Peloton Sports in 1998, a sports marketing and public relations agency, which managed projects for Tour de Georgia, Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah and USA Cycling. She also founded Bike Alpharetta Inc, a Georgia non-profit to promote safe cycling. She is proud to have worked in professional baseball for six years - from selling advertising to pulling the tarp for several minor league teams. She has climbed l'Alpe d'Huez three times (not fast). Her favorite road and gravel rides are around horse farms in north Georgia (USA) and around lavender fields in Provence (France), and some mtb rides in Park City, Utah (USA).

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