Hiker attacks mountain biker in Tyrol with stick – police are looking for witnesses!

Hiker attacks mountain biker in Tyrol with stick – police are looking for witnesses!

In a worrying incident in Leutasch, Tyrol, on June 2, 2025, a 58-year-old German mountain biker was attacked with a hiking stick by an unknown hiker. This attack occurred after the hiker previously blocked the biker's path in the Katzenkopf area. A brief discussion between the two men escalated, resulting in an injury to the mountain biker's face. Despite the injury, the cyclist managed to escape and filed a report with the police in Seefeld the following Sunday. The police have now asked for information about the incident.

The hiker being sought is described as being between 65 and 70 years old, 1.70 to 1.75 meters tall and of slim build. He has short gray hair and was wearing a peaked cap and brown sunglasses. He was accompanied by a woman who also had gray hair and was taller than him.

Conflicts between hikers and mountain bikers

The incident reflects an increasing conflict between hikers and mountain bikers, which has become more prevalent since the coronavirus pandemic. According to reports, the number of e-mountain bikers looking for varied tours has increased. Hikers, on the other hand, often feel harassed by the fast-moving cyclists and do not want to share the trails, which leads to tension. For example, conservation experts reported that both hikers and bikers can be harmful to nature. The increase in insufficiently experienced e-mountain bikers and their activities in sensitive areas has also led to an increase in rescue operations.

The German Initiative Mountain Bike (DIMB), with over 100,000 members, does not estimate the conflict to be so dramatic, but emphasizes the need for better cooperation with communities and forest owners to create suitable trails. It is also recommended to introduce riding technique training for beginners and unsure mountain bikers. There is typically a high level of acceptance between hikers and cyclists in the German Alpine Club (DAV), but tensions arise when different speeds collide on the same routes.

In order to defuse the situation, both groups need attractive alternatives and legally secured trails. These challenges are important because reports of conflict underscore the need to better coordinate nature and recreational use. The Harz Tourism Association has already recorded a sharp increase in e-mountain bikers and offers five bike parks in the region that provide variety and relief.

Given these developments, the situation in the mountains and forests has become more complex. The request from the Seefeld police to provide information about the incident in Leutasch could potentially help solve the attack on the mountain biker, while at the same time the constant conflicts in nature need to be discussed and resolved.

For more information about the incident in Tyrol, please visit reporting by Vienna.at or the Small newspaper. For a more comprehensive look at the issues between walkers and cyclists, see RND.