Lienz is a perfect place to host World Cup races during the Christmas/New Year break: this beautiful town located near Italy is easily accessible from everywhere. Thousands of spectators gather there to attend this event which has become a strong Austrian tradition. The steep racing hill always provides attractive competitions. In January 1988, Bernhard Gstrein became the only skier to beat the great Tomba in a slalom that season. In December 1970, Lienz was the first ski area after Val d'Isere to organize World Cup races in the early part of the season and has become much busier in the meantime. Then the races took place on higher slopes overlooking the valley. Now the races are held in the valley, near the main road going from Mittersill to Villach. After a long break, Lienz came back onto the world tour in 1995, when the local ski club and the Austrian Ski Federation organized a "Alpine Cup" for the racers by the cancellation of the FIS World Championships in Sierra Nevada, Spain, because lack of snow. The races were good enough to convince the officials to come back to Lienz which alternates with Semmering, near Wien, to hold the Christmas races.