Anton Palzer Sets New Record: Munich to Zugspitze in Under Five Hours
Munich, July 10 – Anton Palzer, the renowned endurance athlete from Ramsau near Berchtesgaden, has achieved an extraordinary feat, completing the demanding journey from Munich’s Marienplatz to the summit of Zugspitze in an astounding 4 hours, 43 minutes, and 46 seconds. This impressive ‘bike-and-run’ challenge, covering 115 kilometers and approximately 3,000 meters of elevation gain, saw Palzer significantly surpass his own ambitious target.
Palzer’s management announced on Thursday that the 33-year-old athlete began his journey on June 23 at 3:00 AM from Marienplatz in Munich. He cycled 100 kilometers on a road bike before transitioning to a 15-kilometer mountain run to reach Germany’s highest peak.
A Long-Held Dream Comes True
The idea for this ambitious project had been on Palzer’s mind for years. “The concept of reaching the Zugspitze summit from the state capital under my own power has always fascinated me. I simply wanted to test how quickly I could achieve it,” Palzer stated after reaching the summit.
The early morning start was a deliberate choice. “Minimal traffic in Munich and Garmisch makes for a more relaxed and faster ride,” Palzer explained. He also sought to experience the moment at the summit in relative solitude.
The Grueling Journey: Cycling Against the Wind
The cycling route took Palzer through Wolfratshausen and Penzberg, eventually leading to Garmisch-Partenkirchen. By the end of the cycling segment, he had already accumulated around 1,000 meters of elevation gain due to the undulating terrain between Munich and Garmisch.
After 2 hours and 41 minutes, Palzer arrived in Reintal, where he swiftly changed from his cycling gear to running attire. The bike ride, however, was not without its challenges. “There was more headwind than anticipated on the cycling route. Staying within the target time was genuinely tough,” Palzer recounted.
The Ascent to Germany’s Highest Peak
With 100 kilometers already behind him, the second and arguably more strenuous part of the challenge began: a 15-kilometer run involving an ascent of approximately 1,950 meters to the 2,962-meter-high Zugspitze. The path led through the Reintal, past the Knorrhütte, over the Zugspitzplatt, and by the Schneefernerhaus. This section alone typically takes hikers around nine hours to complete. Palzer conquered this daunting climb in just two hours.
At 7:43 AM, Palzer finally reached the summit cross of the Zugspitze. Though visibly exhausted, he expressed immense joy at his achieved time. “It hurt, I was constantly in the red zone today,” the 33-year-old admitted, adding that pushing his own limits is a core part of his motivation.
A Distinguished Career in Endurance Sports
Palzer is recognized as one of Germany’s most prominent endurance athletes. He initially made a name for himself in ski mountaineering and mountain running before transitioning to professional road cycling in 2021. During his time with Team Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe, he competed in prestigious races such as the Giro d’Italia and the Vuelta a España. Furthermore, Palzer holds the fastest known time for traversing the Watzmann, a route typically completed in two days, which he ran in an astonishing 2 hours and 47 minutes in 2020.
This latest achievement further solidifies Palzer’s reputation as an exceptional athlete capable of pushing the boundaries of human endurance.
Source: https://www.br.de/nachrichten/bayern/anton-palzer-muenchen-zugspitze-in-unter-fuenf-stunden,VOsZ0QD
