About the mountain bike coordination

KONNEKT GmbH has been entrusted with the implementation of the project. The company brings extensive experience in the development of processes, strategies, and participation formats in the fields of sport and tourism. The Mountain Bike Coordination Office ensures that all relevant perspectives – ranging from sport and tourism to nature conservation and forestry – are included and taken into account in a transparent manner.

The Mountain Bike Coordination Office is led by an experienced team:

Thorsten Schmitz

Thorsten Schmitz has held several leadership positions in the retail sector, most recently serving as Managing Director and CEO of Intersport Austria. He brings 25 years of retail experience in sales, purchasing, and marketing, as well as international leadership experience across Europe. His core competencies lie in strategy and organizational development, commercial management, and the establishment of robust governance and decision-making structures in complex stakeholder environments. Within the context of the Mountain Bike Coordination Office, he focuses on the overall strategic architecture: vision and guiding principles, stakeholder strategy and participation logic, methodology and process design, prioritization of fields of action, and the translation of diverse interests into nationally applicable recommendations for action within the existing legal framework.

Karl Morgenbesser

Karl Morgenbesser is an entrepreneur and ecosystem architect specializing in destination and regional development, as well as stakeholder and network management. He is the founder and managing director of Familienarena St. Corona GmbH and Wexl Trails, both of which emerged from the transformation of a decommissioned ski resort into a year-round leisure ecosystem. In addition, he has been operating a sports and health center since 2005 and is regarded as a sought-after advisor for regions and municipalities in the conception and implementation of sports and recreational facilities, mountain bike trail centers, and integrated living environment concepts. His strength lies in orchestrating complex stakeholder groups and translating strategy into sustainable implementation and operational models.

For further information or inquiries, please contact: office@mountainbike-koordination.gv.at

Press & Links

Interview im Standard vom 27. September 2025 (in German only)

Bericht Lines-Mag 24. September 2025 (in German only)

Bericht im Ride Magazin 10. September 2025 (in German only)

Stevie Schneider Show Podcast (in German only)

The Austrian Mountain Bike Coordination Office operates on behalf of:

• the Federal Ministry for Housing, Arts, Culture, Media and Sport (BMWKMS)
• the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Climate and Environmental Protection, Regions and Water Management (BMLUK)
• the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs, Energy and Tourism (BMWET)
• the Federal Ministry for Innovation, Mobility and Infrastructure (BMIMI)
• the Austrian federal provinces

Procurement: BBG – Federal Procurement Agency (Bundesbeschaffung GmbH)