From ski mountaineering
to professional cycling
After 12 years as a world class ski mountaineering and mountain running athlete, Toni Palzer followed his dreams: He put the skis aside to become a professional cyclist and joined the German UCI WorldTeam BORA - hansgrohe.
The chronology of a transformation
March 2021: Toni races his final ski mountaineering competition at the ISMF World Championship in Andorra - and seals the silver medal! An emotional and successful farewell from the world of ski mountaineering
April 2021: Only 4 weeks after taking a silver medal at the ski mountaineering worlds, Toni lines up at the Tour of the Alps - his first ever professional bike race.
September 2021: With only 6 months of experience as professional cyclist, Toni concludes his first ever Grand Tour, the Vuelta a España. A novelty in the world of cycling and an achievement he even convinced his critics. Definitely a baptism of fire!
By the end of the 2021 season, Toni has established himself in professional cycling. The transformation from ski mountaineering to cycling is complete.
With courage and hard work you can achieve anything in life!
Anton "Toni" Palzer
since April 2021 professional cyclist
until April 2021 professional ski mountaineering and mountain running athlete
Mountains
Growing up at the foot of the Watzmann, the Berchtesgaden Alps are Toni's home and source of strength. Today, the steep mountain roads at Hochschwarzeck and Rossfeld serve as a perfect training ground and opposite pole to the travel-intense life as a professional cyclist. Before his career on two wheels, it was the ridges and sharp peaks of the Watzmann and Hochkalter massifs where Toni did most of his training and built the base for his successful career as a mountain running and ski mountaineering athlete.
Legendary: That day in early July 2020 when Toni set the record time of 02:47:08 h for the infamous Watzmann traverse.
