1997 European Cycling Championships, Villach, Austria – Official Race Poster

Rad-Europameisterschaften / European Cycling Championships, 1997

Striking official poster for the 1997 European Road Cycling Championships held in Villach and Faaker See, Carinthia, Austria, from 3 to 7 September 1997. The design is minimalist and energetic: broad, slashing brushstrokes in yellow, red, blue, and black sweep diagonally across a white field, evoking the movement of a speeding peloton. The lower section carries the event text in German and English, “Rad-Europameisterschaften / European Cycling Championships,” along with the dates and locations. Along the bottom margin sit the logos of the Union Européenne de Cyclisme (UEC) and key sponsors ADEG, Bank Austria, PTA, and Sport Stadt Villach. The artist’s signature, dated 1997, appears discreetly in the lower right of the painted area.

These championships were the under-23 European road events. Four titles were awarded: men’s and women’s road races and individual time trials. Gold medals went to Salvatore Commesso of Italy in the men’s road race, Guillaume Auger of France in the men’s time trial, Élisabeth Chevanne-Brunel of France in the women’s road race, and Diana Žiliūtė of Lithuania in the women’s time trial. Silver and bronze were taken by Sven Montgomery (Switzerland) and Gerrit Glomser (Austria) in the men’s road race, Fabio Malberti and Maurizio Caravaggio (both Italy) in the men’s time trial, Tatiana Stiajkina (Ukraine) and Izaskun Bengoa (Spain) in the women’s road race, and Izaskun Bengoa (Spain) and Jenny Algelid (Sweden) in the women’s time trial.

The artist, Bernd Svetnik, born in 1951 in Klagenfurt, Austria, is a painter and graphic artist known for working in mixed media, combining oil, tempera, pastel, and pencil, and has exhibited widely in Austria; he is the founder and president of the Austrian Art Association.

Together, the sleek abstract artwork and the connection to these rising stars of the late 1990s make this poster a great addition to any cycling collection.

This poster has been archivally and professionally linen-backed.

Virtually all original vintage posters of this era were viewed as temporary advertising and were printed on fragile, thin paper. While expensive, linen backing is a conservation method used to mount, stabilize, preserve, and protect vintage posters, allowing them to be displayed or framed without compromising their value.

This poster is an original first printing, not a reproduction.

Year: 1997
Artist: Bernd Svetnick
Imprimerie: Malarei Bernd Svetnick  – Design Kalian

Size: 60.5 x 83.5 cm  (23 ¾  x 32 ¾  inches)

Posters are sold unframed. Framed images are display ideas only.

This is a one-of-a-kind item; please review the photos carefully to determine the condition.

This item is listed on multiple platforms, and availability is subject to prior sale elsewhere.