"Rund um Köln" this Sunday: Everything you need to know about Germany's oldest cycling race

Köln - This Sunday marks the 106th edition of the cycling classic "Rund um Köln", welcoming both professional cyclists and amateur participants to the starting line. The event will be broadcasted live on Sportschau starting at 10.45 AM. Renowned as the oldest cycling event in Germany, "Rund um Köln" features a total of four races - three for amateur cyclists and one professional race, attracting around 20 top national and international teams. The elite race will begin with a neutralized start at 10.40 AM in Rheinauhafen, located in Cologne's city center. This means the real competition begins as the cyclists are about to leave the city limits. They are then challenged to cover a distance of approximately 200 kilometers and more than 2400 meters of elevation, from the Bergisch Land region to Wipperfürth and back to Rheinauhafen, where the finish line awaits them. Estimated time for the winner to cross the finish line is around 3.30 PM. Noteworthy competitors, including previous year's winner Danny van Poppel (30, Bora-hansgrohe), Nils Politt (30, UAE Team Emirates), and U23 standout Tim Torn Teutenberg (21, German National Team), are confirmed to participate.

Köln's own Rick Zabel bids farewell to pro cycling with "Rund um Köln"

Particular attention will be on Cologne native Rick Zabel (30), who announced weeks ago that "Rund um Köln" will be the final professional race of his career. Amateurs will have the option to choose between three different course lengths. "Velodom 30", covering 25.9 kilometers, will start at 12.30 PM in Bergisch Gladbach, while "Velodom 70" (69.4 kilometers, starting at 11 AM) and "Velodom 130" (129.1 kilometers, starting from 9.30 AM) will kick off in Rheinauhafen. Spectators looking to experience the excitement firsthand should gather at one of the three mountain passes, for instance, Agathaberg in Wipperfürth, where cyclists face a daunting 27% incline. The 200-meter climb to Schloss Bensberg is also a highlight, with both professionals and amateurs taking on this challenging stretch twice.