The Milan–Munich long-distance ride, first held in 1894, is regarded as the first great transalpine long-distance bike race and a highlight of early cycling history in the German-speaking world. While Wien–Berlin opened up the vastness of the plains and Wien–Triest symbolised the link between metropolis and sea, Milan–Munich dared the leap into the high mountains – over the Brenner Pass, right through the Alps.

A pioneering spirit of extremes

46 riders lined up at the start in Milan. Their goal: the Bavarian capital, 590 kilometres away. The route led through the Lombardy plain, past Lake Garda, through the Adige Valley and finally over the Brenner Pass, before continuing through the Inn Valley and via Rosenheim to Munich. Rain, hail, mud holes and freezing nights turned the ride into an ordeal. Many gave up; only a handful reached the finish.

The winner: Josef Fischer

After 29 hours and 32 minutes, the Munich rider Josef Fischer was first across the line. With that – after his victory at Wien–Berlin the year before – he finally established himself as the outstanding distance rider of his time. Celebrated by thousands who cheered him and showered him with prizes, Fischer wrote another chapter of cycling history.

The rival: Max Reheis

Barely an hour and a half later came his perennial rival Max Reheis from Wasserburg. Regarded as a tireless fighter, he reached the finish despite technical problems and the most adverse conditions – and was welcomed home as a hero. Yet accusations and protests would soon overshadow the sporting achievement.

Sequels and later editions

Milan–Munich did not remain a one-off. In the years after 1894 the ride was revived several times – partly as an official race, partly as a popular long-distance ride for amateurs. Around the turn of the century in particular it was considered a supreme test of long-distance riding, on a par with Wien–Berlin and Paris–Brest–Paris.

With each edition its symbolic power grew: crossing the Alps was more than a sporting challenge, it stood for the connection of nations and cultures, for technical innovation and for the determination of a whole generation to keep pushing the limits of the bicycle ever further.

Over time, however, Milan–Munich disappeared from the calendar again. Growing road traffic and the professionalisation of cycling shifted the great races to other formats. But the memory remained – as a Meilenstein, from which the history of cycling can still be read today.

From one-day race to stage format

While the first edition in 1894 was a one-day race, over the following decades Milan–Munich developed into an irregularly held classic. The distance stayed roughly the same at just under 590 kilometres, but the format varied: sometimes as a single-day ride, sometimes as a multi-day stage test.

Between the wars – an international contest on two wheels

In the 1930s the route took on a new political dimension. In 1937 it was held as an official international contest between Germany, Italy and Austria this time over three stages. In 1938 and 1940 the route even ran in the opposite direction – from Munich to Milan – and was open only to riders from the three ‘Axis countries’. The race thus reflected not only the sporting but also the troubling political spirit of those years.

Palmarès – the winners of Milan–Munich

• 1894 Josef Fischer (Germany)
• 1910 Peter Strasser (Austria)
• 1912 Georg Schmid (Germany)
• 1937 Richard Menapace (Austria)
• 1938 Mario De Benedetti (Italy)
• 1939 Aldo Ronconi (Italy)
• 1940 Doro Morigi (Italy)

A myth fades

With the outbreak of the Second World War the tradition died out. After 1940, Milan–Munich was no longer held. Yet the memory of this race stays alive: as a pioneering feat across the Alps, as a stage for international rivalry – and as an emblem of an era in which bike races were at once projects of technical progress, feats of sporting heroism and acts of socio-political symbolism.

A legacy for cycling

Despite all the scandals, Milan–Munich marked a turning point. It showed that the bicycle could conquer even the Alps. Fischer’s victory stood for technical progress, the duels with Reheis for the passion and drama of a young sport.

And so Milan–Munich remains a symbol of the pioneering era of cycling: a blend of heroic pioneering spirit, sporting limit-experience and human drama that resonated for decades and keeps the myth alive to this day.




*Note on the route: The routing may change slightly, e.g. due to weather, rideability, path closures or official requirements. Before the start, all participants receive the final version of the route as a GPX file as well as an up-to-date overview in the route book with all POIs, checkpoints and overnight options. Subject to change.