On schedule at 09:30h the time was ripe:
550 Teams were at the start to a 8-days stage race from Füssen (Allgäu) to Riva del Garda (Italy). The first stage led 83,76km to Imst over bike and gravel roads through a relativley flat terrain in the first place. After about 2/3 of the race track the ascent began to the 1,810m above sea level Marienbergjoch. Altogether there had to managed in this first stage 2,105m altitude.

After 3:27:42h and an average speed of 16,0km/h Michael Opper and Martin Mootz of Team Rohloff-Endorfin ended up on 38th place of the men's category. Both were satified with this result on their first day of the race.