The spokes are humming again. Yesterday evening, the cycling spectacle Rad am Ring on the Nürburgring began with the traditional time trial. After the fast start against the clock, which Christian Bundschuh won in 34:47 minutes, the 24h riders started their long journey today at a quarter to 1 p.m. The participants who competed in the races covering 25, 75 and 150 kilometers were done with their work faster – and so were the mountain bike riders after their marathon as well as the e-bikers after touring within the first-ever festival eBike am Ring.
It is unique, the traditional time trial on the Nordschleife. While other time trial courses are flat and straight, the 122 participants had to conquer 22 undulating kilometers with a total of just over 500 meters of altitude and around 70 bends. Christian Bundschuh was the fastest rider in the men’s category and Lisa Brömmel (38:34 min.) in the women’s category. "I knew the track from Playstation as I used to play car races," said the winner after the competition, which he used as a preparation race for the World Amateur Championship, which takes place in about four weeks in Italy.
Focus on amateur sports and 24-hour races
Saturday began with a new festival component (and some rain): as part of eBike am Ring, the Formula 1 course belonged to the e-bikers in the morning. Throughout the day there were also offers to expand one’s cycling knowledge and skills with regard to e-biking – and cycling in general: In seminars, experts gave advise on different types of e-bikes and the correct riding position, there were two riding skills trainings and the opportunity to find out about Rhineland-Palatinate as a cycling region at the stand of eBike-am-Ring partner Rheinland-Pfalz Tourismus. By the way: Ralf Kersten is the lucky winner of a new Focus E-mountain bike we raffled. "This is a satisfying inaugural event," says Hanns-Martin Fraas, head of organization. This does not mean, however, that the racing idea inherent in the basic festival Rad am Ring will be watered down. On the contrary.
After two years of professional road racing, this year Rad am Ring is returning to its roots and concentrates on what makes this event so special: the 24-hour races on the Formula 1 asphalt and off-road around the Ring. At a quarter to 1 p.m. Hanns-Martin Fraas released the starting field on the race track. "It is great to see that our event seems to be an integral part of the competition calendar of more and more cycling fans", says the head of the organization. While the 24-hour riders solo as well as in teams of two, four or eight are still doing their laps until Sunday noon, the participants of the second MTB marathon and the amateur races covering 25, 75 and 150 kilometers have already done their job. Winners of the MTB marathon were Christian Schramm in 1:10:19 hours and Naima Diesner in 1:11:22 hours over 25 km, Matthias Brenner in 2:04:28 hours and Nina Kuhn in 2:24:57 hours over 50 km as well as Robert Schwenk in 3:08:57 hours and again Naima Diesner in 2:16:42 hours over 75 km.On the road Michael Hahn won in 41:40 min. and Lina Schuchmann in 48:36 min. over 25 km as well as Michael Barthelneß in 2:10:14 hours and n Naima Diesner in 2:16:42 hours over 75 km. Matthias Van Den Bergh won the 150 km race in 3:58:31 hours, in the women's category Caroline Schiff in in 4:28:40 hours.
Barbecue, live music and shop talk
They all will be awarded their prizes as part of the big Saturday party, which already began in the afternoon with several trial shows of the air acrobats of Bikes in Motion – they advised interested visitors afterwards in their art and visitors, supporters and participants not racing could give it a try themselves on the pump track in the Expo area. Later today, the barbecue grill won't be the only thing that heats up. There will be live music, expert talks and, of course, the opportunity to talk shop – no matter whether e-, mountain- or road bikers – while behind stage and beer garden 24h riders will slowly take out their lamps and turn the Ring into a glittering band of lights.
28.07.2018