The Cross-Country Area
The landscape surrounding the village of Nové Město na Moravě forms the backdrop for one of the Czech Republic’s most important cross-country ski regions with some 100 kilometres of trails. The major advantage of the Vysočina region is its location in the snowy Bohemian-Moravian Highlands, where the historical states of Bohemia and Moravia meet. Nové Město is well known as a World Cup venue for biathlon and cross-country skiing, and the world’s elite do battle here every year. Luckily there are also more than enough attractive trails for amateurs leading through the romantic villages scattered across the 20 surrounding counties. Depending on conditions, the trails are groomed several times a week, with tracks usually set shortly before the weekend. Eye-catching orange signs ensure skiers don’t lose their way here.
International competitions in the Vysočina Arena
Thousands of fans make for Nové Město every year when the competitions in the Cross-Country and Biathlon World Cup roll into town at the Vysočina Arena. A party atmosphere comes to town for several days as all the events are held. Fans can get an excellent view of proceedings around the start-finish line from the stands in the Vysočina Arena. While the Biathlon World Cup has only been hosted in Nové Město since 2012, the cross-country skiing tradition here dates back much further. The events in the small Moravian town have been part of the Cross-Country World Cup since 1981, while the Czech Republic has been part of the Tour de Ski since 2007. Looking further back, the trials for the “Golden Ski of the Bohemian-Moravian Highlands” have been held in Nové Město since the 1930s. Major mountain bike races are also held in summer in the Arena and nearby terrain. In fact, the Mountain Bike World Championships were even held here in summer 2016.
Interesting facts
- Offering 100 km cross-country trails, Nové Město is the largest cross-Country skiing area in the Czech Republic.
- The high point of the cross-Country skiing area is located at an elevation of 650 m.
- Snow coverage is usually best during February, offering an average snow depth of 49 cm at summit elevation and 35 cm at the base.
Getting Here
From Germany and Prague: Take the A93 from Regensburg towards Pilsen and then continue on the D5 towards Prague. If you are travelling from Dresden direction, take the A17 to the Czech border and then the D8 until you reach Prague. When you meet the circular motorway surrounding Prague, head south for Brno and then take the D1 to exit 119. From there, head for Zdar nad Sazavou. From there, it’s only a few kilometres to Nové Město na Moravě.
From Austria: Take the A23 and A5 to the Czech border towards Mikulov, then continue on the E461 to Brno. There, turn onto the motorway towards Prague before exiting at junction 162. Then continue on via Velká Bíteš, Krizanov and Moravec to Nové Město na Moravě.
