pedElle 2022: day 1 - Vienna to Oponice
The 60 riders of pedElle 2022 are spoilt for choice in Vienna, with amazing 18th century architecture in the form of palaces and gardens - with Belvedere Castle and Schlossgarten just minutes from the hotel - and there is plenty more to do and see in the old city prior to Day 1.
Day 1 – from Vienna to Oponice – is the longest day of this year's charity challenge for women in property at 190kms, although thankfully the vast distance is counterbalanced with very little climbing. Still, it's a big day that faces the riders as, at 8am, they head east out of the city, picking up the cycle path next to the Danube and winding their way through flat wide fields. The day is also turning into a scorcher. After 45kms of picturesque and peaceful car-free cycling, the peloton crosses the fast-flowing river to the first coffee stop at Hainburg Beach. With strudel, tiramisu and vegan and gluten free options all on offer, the riders are well-fuelled for the next stage.
After departing Hainburg, the riders are treated to views of Bratislava, capital of Slovakia, on the border with Austria and Hungary, off to their left. The cycle path takes them across the border into Slovakia before heading back to the banks of the Danube. After circling the edge of Bratislava, the riders head out into the flat countryside, covering many kms along long, straight roads through pretty villages alternating with larger industrial towns.
After 105km, the riders stop at the Lobster Bar & Restaurant in Senec, a quirky guesthouse with Polynesian-style bungalows over the water and its own pirate ship! Some riders take the opportunity for a refreshing dip in the lake now the temperatiure has climbed into the low thirties. After lunch, the Slovakian countryside provides more flat riding through vividly green countryside. The first incline of the day comes at 150kms, and the scenery becomes more rolling. After coffee at Pension Vendelin, the riders head further into the hills, passing through older more characterful villages and lush countryside. It is a beautiful final stage on smooth tarmac with the warm sun, now low on the horizon, casting long shadows on the patchwork of rolling hills stretching far into the distance. They arrive at Chateau Appony, a stunning white spa hotel, for a very well-deserved finish to the day after 190kms in the saddle.
