Timing and Location
The Red Bull X-Alps Challenger 2026 takes place from May 28 - 30. Each day begins at 10:00 and the best athletes qualify for the following day.The race days always start next to the Ahornbahn gondola station in Ahornstraße 853, 6290 Mayrhofen. There is parking and a dedicated area for fans. Your closest airports are Innsbruck, Munich and Salzburg. Traveling by train can be directly into Mayrhofen Bahnhof.
Day 1: 28 May – mountain run
Around 150 athletes are expected to race up 1400m vertical elevation on day 1. Don’t underestimate the speed of the athletes as they will make their way from Mayrhofen to the Penken Kombibahn Bergstation as fast as an hour. Ensure you cheer athletes on as they start in the valley and make your way up with the help of the gondola to welcome them at the peak – followed by officially celebrating the day 2 qualifiers on the podium.
Estimated timings
- 09:00 Opening expo area (Ahornstrasse 853)
- 10:00 Start mountain run (Ahornstrasse 853)
- 14:30 Finish line closed and winners announcement (Penken Kombibahn Bergstation / Kasermandl Schwendau 423)
Day 2: 29 May - Hike and Fly
Athletes will hike and fly the same route three times. Besides watching them running past the Expo Area at Ahornstrasse 853, you can also catch them at the landing area and along the route as well as at the Alpengasthof Wiesenhof to watch athletes launch. There's no gondola to the launch site but a scenic 400m ascent. Be ready for some action as around 100 athletes will compete to qualify for the final race day.
Estimated timings at the Ahornbahn
- 09:00 Opening expo area
- 10:00 Start hike and fly
- 15:30 Finish line closed and winners announcement
Day 3: 30 May – XC Task
On Day 3, athletes will start and finish right next to the Ahornbahn station, providing a spectacular place to watch as athletes pass through Mayrhofen five times. Weather and skill set will determine if they will fly over or hike past the fan area. Be ready to cheer on the two top female and male athletes qualifying for Red Bull X-Alps 2027.
Estimated timings at the Ahornbahn
- 09:00 Opening expo area
- 10:00 Start XC Task
- 18:00 Finish line closed and winners announcement including handover of the highly anticipated Red Bull X-Alps Wildcard presented by Bergfreunde
What to expect on site
Besides the race action, check out the latest products of official Race Partners including Naviter, Tactical Foodpack and Dynamic Tape. There will also be a Mayrhofen stand with "a wheel of fortune" to win prizes. The expo area is a great place to meet Red Bull X-Alps veterans like Chrigel Maurer, Benedikt Dornauer and Celine Lorenz. “I am excited to watch the next Red Bull X-Alps athletes compete in this scenic but challenging terrain“, says Benedikt who is local to the area.
Safety & Respect
- Stay within marked spectator areas
- Follow instructions from event staff
- Respect nature and the local environment
- Be mindful of athletes during race action – especially sprint finishes!
Where to stay
Follow online
We will be providing round-the-clock coverage on our social channels as well as our dedicated WhatsApp channel throughout the race. Results and rankings will be posted across all our channels at the end of each day.