650 km with about 14,000 m of climbing. Self-supported, ridden on the historic line in its historic direction — from Vienna over the Semmering and the Karst to Trieste. There is no ranking, no podium and no winner.
What this ride is
Supergrevet Vienna–Trieste follows the line of the first edition of 1892. We scout and prepare the route in full; you ride it yourself, unsupported. It is not a race and not a ranking — everyone rides the same line at their own pace, and reaching the Adriatic is the whole point.
The difficulty comes from distance and landscape, not from artificial climbs or trails. Over 650 km the line gathers around 14,000 m of climbing. It is planned to be rideable as it stands: no deliberately planned long hike-a-bike stretches and no technical mountain-bike sections.
The line today
The line leaves Vienna and climbs over the Semmering into Styria, through wine country and past Graz, before crossing the limestone Karst plateau and dropping to Trieste on the Adriatic. Most of it is firm gravel and asphalt, with forest track in between; busy roads are avoided wherever possible.
Expect long climbs, a night on the bike, and weather that shifts from alpine to Mediterranean within a single ride. Resupply is straightforward in the valleys and thinner on the high Karst — you carry what you need and ride within your own limits.
Demanding here means length and elevation, not technical trails. 650 km with ~14,000 m of climbing, from the Semmering to the Karst, is what makes this ride hard. The surface stays predominantly rideable, with no S2–S3 singletrail and no classic mountain-bike terrain.
Bike & tyres
A gravel bike you trust for long days. Tyres at least 40 mm, ideally wider — up to about 2.2″ for the alpine sections. Choose easy gearing, around 1:1 or lower, so you can spin the long climbs with luggage. Fit lights front and rear for the night, and build a setup you can keep rolling without support.
History
The first edition in 1892 ran from Vienna via Graz to Trieste over roughly 560 km and about 11,000 m of climbing. Back then a rough road was simply the road; it was never a discipline of its own.
Supergrevet takes the line and its direction, not the race. We keep the route and its history and leave the clock and the ranking behind — a modern ride along an old line, ridden for its own sake.
