Press Releases 2024

October, 4^th, 2024

With the presentation of the 2025 calendar, the International Cycling Union (UCI) has also confirmed the date for next year's Lidl Deutschland Tour. The tour begins on Wednesday, August 20, with a prologue. Four stages will follow until the grand finale on August 24. In 2025, the race will again be part of the UCI ProSeries – the second-highest category in international cycling.

Essen will be the starting point for the 2025 Lidl Deutschland Tour. Germany's biggest cycling event will kick off next year with the prologue in the Ruhr metropolis. The stage will then lead across the grounds of the former Zeche Zollverein coal mine, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The dates for the German races of the UCI WorldTour, which are organized by A.S.O.'s German subsidiary, have already been confirmed. Eschborn-Frankfurt remains at its traditional date of May 1, which falls on a Thursday in 2025. The BEMER Cyclassics in Hamburg will be held on the Sunday before the Lidl Deutschland Tour, August 17.

25.8.2024

Five out of five plus two: Lidl-Trek completely swept the board at the Deutschland Tour 2024, winning all five stages as well as the overall classification and the best sprinter's jersey. Mads Pedersen set the final record for the perfect tour, winning the sprint of a small group in Saarbrücken after 182.7 kilometers. It was his second stage win in this tour.

Jonathan Milan took the other three stage wins for the team, securing the green jersey. The mountain jersey was defended by Jørgen Nordhagen (Visma  |Lease a Bike), one of the youngest riders in the field. The 19-year-old is actually still riding for Visma's Continental team, but will only turn professional next year. "It was our goal to ride for the mountains jersey here, because we knew that we couldn't keep up with Lidl-Trek for everything else.Today I tried again with the stage.Because my sprint is not particularly good, I attacked again in the last kilometer.I'm satisfied," said the Norwegian, who moved up to seventh place in the overall standings by being part of the leading group.

Meanwhile, Tobias Halland Johannessen (Uno-X Mobility) defended the white jersey of the best young pro, although he had to let Danny van Poppel (Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe) pass him in the overall standings and thus finished third in the final standings. At the press conference after the race, he promised to return to the Lidl Deutschland Tour next year. "For the overall victory here, we would have had to win the stage today, and that's what we tried to do.In the end, we didn't stand a chance, but I think we put on a good show.It fits well here because we had a great week as riders.Everything was perfectly organized.As drivers, we always felt safe.And then there were all the people at the track.And we were lucky with the weather."

Johannessen only had bad luck with his opponent. He was no match for Mads Pedersen at his best. "We overperformed here.It will be a long time before a team wins all the stages of a tour again.Of course, it's all the better that it works out for us in our home race.I think we have done Lidl proud." It was also fitting that the Instagram followers of the Deutschland Tour had the last community jersey of the tour ready for a Lidl rider. The search was on for the best helper. And Amanuel Ghebreigzabhier was found. "Many people don't see what riders like Amanuel or Daan (Hoole) achieve, even though they ride at the front of the peloton all day.That's why it's nice that he has now been honored in this way.He didn't like it because he doesn't like being in the limelight, but we were still very happy for him," said Pedersen about his helper.

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24.8.24

Around 1800 participants in the Cycling Tour in Saarbrücken enjoyed a very special cycling experience on Sunday. The event is part of the Lidl Deutschland Tour and provides the perfect symbiosis of amateur and elite sport. After the start in front of the Saarländisches Staatstheater, the riders headed out into the countryside and then back into the center of Saarbrücken. There, the amateur athletes formed the vanguard for the professionals on Heuduckstraße, who chose their winner on the same finishing straight.

After last year's flat course in Bremen, this year's laps also had a few meters of elevation gain to offer. Three longer climbs awaited on the 56-kilometre “Tälerrunde” through the Saarbrücken region, while the 100-kilometre “Bliesgau Schleife”, which took all participants to Homburg, had even more to offer, adding up to around 1000 meters in altitude.

But even this did not deter the starters. In perfect cycling weather with temperatures of around 20 degrees and little wind, Konstantin Hebes was the first rider to reach the finish line in Heuduckstraße. After 1:31:42, he finished the “Tälerrunde” as the fastest starter. None of the women were faster than Lucille Rutsch (1:36:29). Both finished solo. The men's long-distance race was decided in a sprint by a group of five. Fabian Thiele (2:20:43) had the fastest legs on the home straight. In the women's race, the winner Franziska Jablonski (2:39:58) was separated from the runner-up by just eight seconds.

24.8.2024

Second yesterday, the beaming winner today: Azzurra Ballan has won the second race of the Newcomer Tour as part of the Lidl Deutschland Tour 2024. The Italian won the 59.3-kilometre course from Homburg to Saarbrücken, which featured three climbs, ahead of Eléna Amann from France and another Italian, Noemi Tosin. The best German was Klara Dworatzek from Thuringia.

As on the previous day in Villingen-Schwenningen, the international starters in the U17 age group of the German Cycling Federation dominated the action. While the course was still relatively flat on Saturday, there were now three climbs on the program, which were also part of the Cycling Tour.
"The first climb went well, the second was really difficult to ride.The third was fine again,” saidMarcel Kittel, assessing the key elements of the profile from the perspective of an ex-professional. The 36-year-old rolled over the course in the Cycling Tour field. “Overall, it's a real challenge when you have to go over it at race pace, especially as an U17 girl,” said Kittel, who also honored the winners in the stands after the race.

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August 24^th, 2024

Temporarily left behind, but the fastest in the end: Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek) won the 3rd stage of the Lidl Deutschland Tour 2024 in a bunch sprint and thus celebrated his third stage victory in the course of the tour. Milan was faster than Max Kanter (Astana Qazaqstan Team) and Jordi Meeus (Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe) on the 211.1-kilometre stage between Schwäbisch Gmünd and Villingen-Schwenningen, the longest and hottest section of the tour.

Milan's team-mate Mads Pedersen continues to lead the overall standings. His lead over Tobias Halland Johannessen (Uno-X Mobility) is still twelve seconds. New third is Danny van Poppel (Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe), who passed Ethan Hayter (Ineos Grenadiers) by winning the bonus sprint at the first crossing of the finish line in Villingen and is now 19 seconds behind the leader.

In the end, Milan had the legs for his ninth win of the season - the 14th of his career - although he had lost contact with the peloton in the meantime. "I was dropped twice on the steep climbs at the start, but was able to fight my way back. After that, we controlled the race perfectly, even if it wasn't so easy to catch up with the breakaway in the rather strong headwind," said the 23-year-old, who once again let the man in blue lead the sprint.

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24.8.2024

After 48 kilometers, the podium of the first race of the Newcomer Tour of the Lidl Deutschland Tour 2024 was firmly in Italian hands. After the six eight-kilometre laps through Villingen-Schwenningen, Matilde Rossignoli won the sighting race of the Association of German Cyclists with international participation with a lead of almost 50 meters ahead of her compatriots Azzurra Ballan and Silvia Ciaghi, who were ahead in the sprint of the peloton. Hannah-Franziska Brand (Rhineland-Palatinate) was the best German in fourth place.

Winner Rossignoli only broke away in the last five kilometers. Until then, the field had been running together. Initially at an ambitious pace. A crash shortly before the end of the second lap, which everyone survived without too much trouble, caused the pace to drop. A total of 45 riders from three countries took part in the race.
“We are happy that we are international here,” said Jan Schlichenmaier, BDR Vice President for Youth."The two regional selections from Italy and France really enhance the race.It makes the race more interesting and also has advantages in terms of riding behavior.The power density is higher this way, and cycling is also very different in Italy."

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August 23^rd, 2024

Team Lidl-Trek was also unbeatable on stage 2 of the Lidl Deutschland Tour 2024. Mads Pedersen replaced his teammate Jonathan Milan as both the day's winner and the new man in the blue jersey. After 174.6 kilometers in Schwäbisch Gmünd, the Dane won the sprint of a trio ahead of Tobias Halland Johannessen (Uno-X Mobility), who was celebrating his 25th birthday, and Archie Ryan (EF Education - EasyPost).

Six seconds behind, Danny van Poppel (Red Bull - Bora - Hansgrohe) led the large chasing group to the finish, from which the leaders had broken away on the way to the bonus sprint one and a half kilometers before the finish. "We knew that the finale would be tough today. Not super hard, but hard enough to make the difference," explained winner Pedersen, who took his first victory in the Deutschland Tour. "We were prepared for both scenarios today - Johnny's card and mine. But the race was harder than expected and the attacks started earlier. That played into my hands. I had permission to go on the attacks because we still had Johnny at the back of the group." Pedersen also made it clear with what ambitions Lidl-Trek has arrived. "We are here to win all the stages. And with the overall lead behind us, we will also try to defend it. We have the means to do so."

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August 22^nd, 2024

Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek) remains the man to beat in the Lidl Deutschland Tour 2024. The Italian was also stronger than the competition on the second day of the tour. Although he was already celebrating well before the finish line, he had a lead of more than two bike lengths over Jordi Meeus (Red Bull - Bora - Hansgrohe) in Heilbronn, who in turn clearly relegated Max Kanter (Astana Qazaqstan) to third place.

Kanter was the best of a strong German squad that dominated the top 10 of the day's results in Henri Uhlig (Alpecin-Deceuninck, 5th place), Niklas Märkl (Team dsm-firmenich PostNL, 7th), Tobias Müller (German national team, 9th) and Joshua Huppertz (Lotto Kern-Haus PSD Bank, 10th).

Nevertheless, it was Milan who outshone everything. In addition to the overall classification, in which Meeus and Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) are now second and third, the 23-year-old also continues to lead the points and young rider rankings. Only the mountain jersey, which was awarded for the first time today, is not in his possession. The black jersey with the colorful dots belongs to Santiago Buitrago (Bahrain Victorious), who secured the second mountain classification of the day and, thanks to his better position in the overall standings, outdistanced Anton Theo Lennemann (Bike Aid), who is tied on points.

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August 21^st, 2024

Second and third place went to the same pros as a year ago in the prologue, Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) and Maikel Zijlaard (Tudor Pro Cycling Team). However, the first winner of the Lidl Deutschland Tour 2024 is someone else. Jonathan Milan was seven tenths faster than his teammate Pedersen on the 2.9-kilometre course through Schweinfurt, sweetening the start for his team.

The 23-year-old northern Italian, who completed the course at an average speed of more than 53 km/h, also took the overall lead and thus the blue jersey with his first stage win in Germany. The white junior jersey also goes to him, but will be worn by Zijlaard tomorrow. Green, which also belongs to Milan, sits on Pedersen's shoulders for stage 1. The community jersey awarded by fans via the Lidl Deutschland Tour Instagram account goes to Max Walscheid (German national team). He will receive his jersey during the registration for stage 1.

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August 21, 2024

For the third time in a row, the Lidl Deutschland Tour starts with a prologue. This year, the backdrop for the latest edition of the short race against the clock is the center of the Lower Franconian city of Schweinfurt. The starting gun will be fired here at 13:48.

Mauro Brenner (Lotto Kern-Haus PSD Bank) will be the first of 120 riders to start the race on the market square of the small Bavarian town. A handful of bends and three long straights later, after 2.9 kilometers, the finish line awaits in Niederwerrner Straße on the corner of Kornmarkt. Luke Lamperti (Soudal Quick-Step) will bring up the rear. All riders start 60 seconds apart. The fastest riders will only need just over three minutes to complete the course. As in previous years, the pros will once again be on road bikes - time trial equipment is not permitted. For this reason, but above all due to the short distance, the sprinters are likely to be in serious competition with the time trial specialists.

Between 12:45 and 13:15, the pros can take the course under their wheels for a final inspection. At the latest then they will notice that the course has no significant elevations, but the last few hundred meters are slightly uphill. This is not enough for a mountain classification, which is why the black jersey with the colorful dots will not yet be awarded. In addition to the stage win, there is also the blue jersey for the overall leader and the green jersey for the rider with the most points. Both jerseys officially go to the stage winner, but the green jersey will be worn by the prologue runner-up on the way to Heilbronn on the second day.
 

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August, 20th, 2024

Almost 750 kilometers spread over five race days, 120 riders in 20 teams, twelve of them from the WorldTour. And on top of that: Countless small and a few larger climbs that will make for an exciting race in the battle for overall victory until the finale in Saarbrücken. This is the Lidl Deutschland Tour 2024, and this is what its protagonists have to say.

Filippo Ganna (Ineos Grenadiers) goes into the race as one of the top favorites for at least the prologue in Schweinfurt. The two-time medal winner at the Olympic Games in Paris - silver in the individual time trial on the road, bronze in the team pursuit on the track - is looking forward to "competing here in Germany again after my time with the Italian national team.The prologue in Schweinfurt will be short and fast, and then we have four balanced, challenging stages." The 28-year-old also expects "an exciting race that offers a number of opportunities that I and the team want to take advantage of.We have a really good team here with a lot of experience, so we will try to take on the race and hopefully achieve a good result."

Together with Ganna, Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek) rode to bronze on the track. Now they are rivals again."I feel very good after the Games.I think my form is good, just as I wanted it to be.I'm looking forward to riding on the road again now.It's been a while since I've been on the road with the team.I will definitely wear the Lidl Trek jersey with pride, especially as the Lidl Deutschland Tour feels like a home race.We are competing with a very strong team and have big ambitions.I'm excited to see what we can achieve."

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August 19^th, 2024

Heilbronn is both the start and finish of the Lidl Deutschland Tour this year. The first stage ends here on August 22, and the second stage starts here one day later. However, professional cycling at the highest level is not the only thing on offer for fans and spectators.

Even before the pros set off on stage 1 in Schweinfurt at 12:35 p.m., the big party starts at the finish in Heilbronn. The Expo Tour, where more than 30 exhibitors will present themselves near the finish line on Karlsruher Straße directly on the Neckar, opens at 12 noon. They invite all visitors to join in, enjoy and find out more.

The show highlight awaits spectators in the finish area from 2 pm. This is when former pro Rick Zabel, who ended his career in May, and star photographer Paul Ripke will duel in a race on the last 500 meters of the official finish straight. Both have also been active on social media for years, reaching thousands of people. For the duration of the Lidl Deutschland Tour, there will be even more. Because while Ripke is hitting the keys for Lidl and taking over the channel, Zabel is doing the same for ARD.

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16.8.2024

While they regularly allow private individuals to rejoice over winnings, the Lidl Deutschland Tour can now also look forward to their support: the lottery companies from Baden-Württemberg, Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland are official partners of Germany's most important professional cycling race.
Every year, the three gaming companies donate a large part of their profits to socially relevant causes. In addition to charity work and the protection of historical monuments and the environment, the promotion of popular and top-class sport also benefits in particular. The three players are also very familiar with cycling. While Lotto Baden-Württemberg was a partner of the German Championships in Bad Dürrheim, Lotto Rhineland-Palatinate is a long-standing sponsor and namesake of the UCI Continental Team Lotto-Kernhaus PSD Bank, which competes in the Lidl Deutschland Tour. Lotto Saartoto, on the other hand, is a loyal partner of the Saarland Trofeo. This top international junior tour has already been won by Mads Pedersen, one of the showcase professionals who will now start the sixth edition of the new Lidl Deutschland Tour on August 21.

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August 14^th, 2024

Five days, 748 kilometers, 120 riders: the 2024 Lidl Deutschland Tour will make its way through the south of Germany. When the starting shot for the tour is fired in exactly one week's time on August 21 in Schweinfurt, the race will once again be about seconds on the predominantly hilly terrain on the way to Saarbrücken, but for the first time it will be about the blue jersey.

Because of Lidl's involvement as the name sponsor, the overall leader will be the one to carry this title. The first chance to do so will be the almost three-kilometer inner-city prologue in Schweinfurt, where the really big names who will be at the start will immediately show themselves. Filippo Ganna, Ethan Hayter (both Ineos Grenadiers), Mads Pedersen and Jonathan Milan (both Lidl-Trek) are among the favorites here and could also play a major role in the final standings.

In addition to the prologue, the first stage of the Lidl Deutschland Tour also begins in Schweinfurt. It leads the field from Bavaria to Baden-Württemberg and Heilbronn over a good 176 kilometers. The profile and route length (175 kilometers) are similar to the 2^nd stage between the previous day's finish and Schwäbisch Gmünd: undulating all day until the finale, with the last ramp on the finish lap from Schwäbisch Gmünd, which has to be ridden twice, only waiting 1500 meters before the finish.

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August 8^th, 2024

When the Lidl Deutschland Tour 2024 begins in two weeks on August 21, numerous top stars of the scene will be among the 120 riders competing in Schweinfurt. Lidl-Trek and Ineos Grenadiers in particular have put big names on their provisional start lists. In addition to the top international athletes, the German line-up will also be impressive and set the tone in the battle for stage wins.

Except perhaps not in the opening time trial. Because victory in the 2.9-kilometer prologue only runs via Filippo Ganna (Ineos Grenadiers). The recent silver medal winner of the Olympic time trial in Paris is returning to the Deutschland Tour after a one-year break. He already won the prologue in Weimar in 2022. He will face stiff competition from his own ranks. Ethan Hayter is also about to take part again and is waiting to present the British Champion's jersey he won in June for the first time. Former Tour de France winner Geraint Thomas, who finished third in the Giro d'Italia again this year, is also part of the renowned Ineos line-up.

The Giro was also a complete success for Jonathan Milan from Lidl-Trek. With three stage victories, he confirmed his points classification win from the previous year. In 2022, he finished second in Meiningen, narrowly missing out on his maiden victory in the Deutschland Tour. In 2024, the 23-year-old has five chances. The Italian is not only a strong sprinter. As a man of the track, short time trials also suit him. He also achieved top 10 results in the Belgian classics in the spring, proving that short, crisp climbs like those in the Lidl Deutschland Tour also suit him. The same applies to his team-mate Mads Pedersen. Last year, the former world champion was just one second short of victory in the prologue in St. Wendel. The Dane's strength in classics and sprints is well known.

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July 25^th, 2024

In exactly one month, the Lidl Deutschland Tour ends on August 25 in Saarbrücken. It's the grand finale for the professionals and the day for amateur athletes. Because before the elite crowns the winner of the Lidl Deutschland Tour in the Saarland capital, the Cycling Tour participants can let off steam on two different routes and then celebrate in front of a large audience when they reach the finish line shortly before Mads Pedersen, Simon Geschke, Georg Zimmermann & Co. The adapted route now ensures even more kilometers in the footsteps of the pros.

Final changes were necessary after severe storms in Saarland made some roads impassable for a long time. The Cycling Tour participants are now warming up the last 35 kilometers of their routes for the pros, who will also reach Saarbrücken from the south-east, but unlike the Cycling Tour, will do a short finishing lap through the city.

For the "Tälerrunde", which is now 56 kilometers long, this means more than half of the total length on the professional course. For the last two thirds, the shorter Cycling Tour route is on the Lidl Deutschland Tour route. The two courses come together at Niederwürzbach. While the "Tälerrunde" comes from the north from Rohrbach and Hassel, the professional field makes its way via Lautzkirchen. The route leads via Assweiler, Ormesheim and Bliesransbach to the Saar and then into the city center to the finish line on Heuduckstraße. The split section of the route also presents the greatest topographical difficulties and most of the 600 meters of elevation gain. The Seelbacher Berg, the Heidenkopf and the Auberg have to be conquered in quick succession.

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July 15^th, 2024

The Lidl Deutschland Tour 2024 starts in six weeks' time, with five days of cycling between Bavaria and Saarland beginning with an opening time trial in Schweinfurt on August 21. 748 kilometers await the pros. Compared to the original plans, the route has therefore become slightly longer. This does not change the classic character of the tour. The many opportunities to join in alongside the sport also remain unaffected.

The changes to the overall length of the route are mainly due to rescheduling on the last section in Saarland. Storms here had caused that some roads were no longer passable. As it is not foreseeable whether this will change by the 4th stage on August 25, the route will take a small detour there as a precaution. The highlights of the route remain unaffected. Early in the stage, the route climbs up to the Kalmit in the Palatinate Forest. The longest climb of this year's Deutschland Tour will therefore be withheld from the queen stage.

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July 8^th, 2024

The Lidl Deutschland Tour 2025 starts in Essen. The next edition of the country's most important cycling event will begin with a prologue on the grounds of the Zollverein Coal Mine Industrial Complex. Once again, five days of racing are planned, which will kick off with a very special highlight.

Because the backdrop for the kick-off is unique. The former coal mine Zeche Zollverein has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2001, and the characteristic winding tower at the main entrance to the site is known far beyond the city limits. Coal was mined here for the last time in 1986. Today it is an architectural and industrial monument and home to numerous cultural institutions.

And August 20, 2025 it is expected to be the venue for a cycling race. Some of the roads on the 100-hectare site will be turned into a three-kilometre-long race course, which will be used for the prologue of the Lidl Deutschland Tour. For the fourth time in a row, the tour will then begin with a short individual time trial. The teams will also park their buses directly on the site of the colliery and make all the preparations for the race, while all the side events such as the Expo or the children's Joy of Moving Mini Tour will attract thousands of visitors between the old halls, shafts and administration buildings.

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July 2^nd, 2024

On August 21, 120 professionals will be at the starting line of the Lidl Deutschland Tour in Schweinfurt. On the way to Saarbrücken, they will cover a distance of 748 kilometers over five days. In addition to winning the tour and the stage, there are also prestigious special classifications and coveted jerseys to be won.

Eco-friendly jerseys from Santini

Santini Cycling Wear, official supplier of the Lidl Deutschland Tour, has designed four jerseys. In addition to a modern, aerodynamic cut, Santini uses fibers recycled from disposable yarns and PET plastics for the jerseys.

Blue jersey for the overall leader

With Lidl joining as name sponsor, the colors of the Deutschland Tour are changing, and with them the jerseys. While Ilan van Wilder still wore all red last year, the future overall leader will be wearing bright blue with yellow and red accents. The overall look of the Lidl Deutschland Tour also changes from red to blue.

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June 27^th, 2024

The teams for the Lidl Deutschland Tour 2024 have been announced. In addition to the 17 international teams from the WorldTour and the second division, two German UCI Continental teams have also received an invitation. In addition, the national team will start with Simon Geschke. The Lidl Deutschland Tour begins on August 21 with a prologue in Schweinfurt and leads over five days of racing to Saarbrücken.

This year, the coveted invitation to Germany's most important cycling event was extended to the Bike Aid and Lotto Kern-Haus PSD Bank teams. The Lidl Deutschland Tour is the only German stage race in which the talents of the local UCI Continental teams can compete with the Tour de France teams.

Bike Aid already took part in the Lidl Deutschland Tour last year. The team from Saarbrücken will therefore once again be enjoying a home race. This will be the fourth participation for the team, which has already achieved top placings this season through Leo Bouvier and Dawit Yemane in races of the UCI ProSeries, which also includes the Lidl Deutschland Tour.

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June 18^th, 2024

The "kinder Joy of Moving mini tour" gets children and young people excited about cycling. As an official partner of the Lidl Deutschland Tour, the initiative offers exciting activities for young cyclists from August 21 to 25, 2024 at the prologue and in all finish cities. Registration is now open!

The children's Joy of Moving wheel races:

Children between the ages of two and five can prove themselves in the balance bike race on the last 100 m of the professional course. It's not about speed or who crosses the finish line first, but about having fun. A surprise awaits all kids at the finish line.

The children's Joy of Moving Bike Parade:

The absolute highlight of the "kinder Joy of Moving mini tour" offers all kids between the ages of six and twelve the chance to ride a circuit together with other kids on the route that their idols will be riding a little later. All participating children also receive a cycling jersey as a gift.

All children can now register for the bike parade and the running bike race. Information on registration at: https://www.kinderjoyofmoving.de/mini-tour. The number of participants is limited - so be quick and join in.

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June 6^th, 2024

Twelve teams from the WorldTour - two more than last year - will line up at the start of the Lidl Deutschland Tour 2024 on August 21. In addition to the only German elite team, Bora - hansgrohe, the top international teams Ineos Grenadiers and Visma | Lease a Bike will also be taking part. The field of 20 teams in total, 14 of which will also compete in the Tour de France, will be supplemented by five second-division teams and three German continental teams, which will be selected after the national championships.

Between Schweinfurt and Saarbrücken, race director Fabian Wegmann and the route planners of the Lidl Deutschland Tour have set up a real classics course, which has not gone unnoticed by the teams. Six teams from the top 10 of the current UCI world rankings have entered, with Lidl-Trek and Alpecin-Deceuninck two representatives who dominated the spring classics.

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May 29^th, 2024

The Deutschland Tour is getting closer and closer. And with it the Cycling Tour for the grand finale in Saarbrücken. On August 25, amateur athletes are in demand before the professionals reach the finish line. Two routes are on the program that Sunday. And they will be explored - with prominent support on June 7 at the route test with Fabian Wegmann and Marcel Kittel. Registration is free via this link.

The two ex-professionals are among the eight local guides from clubs or bike cafés in the region. They are divided into a total of four groups. Two of them take on the 110-kilometre “Bliesgau loop” and two the 60-kilometre “Tälerrunde”. The “Bliesgau loop”, which stretches via Elversberg and Neunkirchen/Saar to the border with Rhineland-Palatinate and then leads back to Saarbrücken via Homburg, Lautzkirchen and Oberwürzbach, has an elevation gain of around 1,300 meters, which the more ambitious group will cover at a speed of between 28 and 30 km/h. The second group takes a more leisurely approach and aims for 23 to 25 km/h.

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March 20, 2024

Germany's most important cycling race remains true to its concept and once again presents a classics tour for 2024. A prologue and four stages with the typical character of demanding classics will characterize the Lidl Deutschland Tour 2024. 737 kilometers, which are rarely flat, will lead through four federal states from 21 to 25 August.

The Lidl Deutschland Tour 2024 already promises pure excitement. After a short but intense start in Schweinfurt, only seconds will separate the best riders. The following four stages offer plenty of opportunity for further close decisions. The idea of offering fans exciting cycling every day and keeping the decision on the overall victory open until the finale is also reflected in this year's route.

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March 20, 2024

Germany's most important cycling race gets a new name: Lidl Deutschland Tour. The food retailer is further expanding its involvement in professional cycling and will become the main sponsor and "Official Fresh Food Partner" of the Deutschland Tour. Lidl also presents the red jersey of the overall leader.

The Deutschland Tour is the Germany's most important cycling race. Since its comeback in 2018, the event has been inspiring enthusiasm for cycling. The aim is to bring top international sport very close to the fans and combine it with many side events for participating and cycling actively.

"Cycling, whether as an ambitious sport or as part of everyday life, is an ideal building block for an active lifestyle. Lidl is also focusing on this idea, because in addition to exercise, a healthy and conscious diet promotes well-being. Promoting this and getting even more people excited about cycling is what connects Lidl and the Deutschland Tour. We want to make pro cycling accessible to the masses and inspire people to lead an active and healthy life as part of our social responsibility. To this end, we have planned numerous activities for fans along the course and spectators at home," says Maciej Magdziarz, Managing Director Marketing at Lidl Dienstleistung GmbH und Co KG.

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March 13^th, 2024

Experience the Saarland by bike on open roads! What is usually only offered to professional cyclists will be possible for everyone on August 25. The Cycling Tour, the popular sports event as part of the Deutschland Tour, offers two routes worth seeing for yourself.

The grand finale of the Deutschland Tour on Sunday begins once again this year with the amateur athletes riding themselves. Up to 2500 participants are expected in Saarbrücken, who can choose their favorite from two routes.

Bliesgau loop over 107 kilometers

Ambitious bike fans will experience a Saarland cycling treat on August 25. From the heart of the state capital, the Bliesgau Loop covers more than 100 kilometers. The typical ups and downs of the landscape are reflected in the route profile - this Sunday excursion has almost 1300 meters of altitude to offer.

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March 11^th, 2024

On August 25, the final of the Deutschland Tour starts in Annweiler am Trifels. The last section leads from the town in the Südliche Weinstraße district to Saarbrücken. This means that the Deutschland Tour will visit four federal states this year. From Bavaria via Baden-Württemberg and Rhineland-Palatinate, the cycling pros will make their way to Saarland.

The historic town center of Annweiler am Trifels and the Saarland state capital of Saarbrücken are only 70 kilometers apart as the crow flies. But the route organizers of the Deutschland Tour have come up with greater challenges for the pros. After leaving the second oldest city in the Palatinate, the route runs from the Palatinate Forest with many changes of direction and constant ups and downs to the Saarland metropolis. The wonderful landscapes provide the perfect stage to secure overall victory in the Deutschland Tour 2024.

As host of the Deutschland Tour on Sunday, Annweiler am Trifels and the cycling-loving district of Südliche Weinstraße are expecting many guests to visit Trifelsland for this sporting highlight. On August 25, fans can look forward to an exciting finale in the style of the great cycling classics.

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February 21, 2024

This year's Deutschland Tour will start in Schweinfurt. This means that the course of Germany's most important cycling race has been defined: the pros will travel from Lower Franconia to Saarbrücken, the capital of Saarland, over five days of racing.

The prologue to the start of the tour will take place in Schweinfurt on August 21. In the past two years, a short urban course has caused a buzz in the starting towns of Weimar and St. Wendel. And it will also be exciting in Schweinfurt when just a few seconds will decide who gets the leader's jersey of the Deutschland Tour 2024 for the first time. On August 22, the first stage of the Deutschland Tour 2024 will begin in the northern Bavarian city.

Sebastian Remelé, Lord Mayor of Schweinfurt, says: "I am delighted that we have been able to bring this sporting event to our beautiful city. Schweinfurt will attract national attention as the venue for the start of the Deutschland Tour 2024."

The bicycle has always played a special role in Schweinfurt. Important bicycle inventions such as the freewheel which still characterize bicycles today, originate from Schweinfurt. And in the history of the Deutschland Tour, the city on the Main also already played a role as host city - most recently in 2006 as the finish of stage 3.

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December 12^th, 2023

The state capital of Saarland will host the finale of the Deutschland Tour 2024. On August 25, the overall winner of Germany's most important cycling race will be decided in Saarbrücken. Thousands of amateur cyclists are expected to attend the Cycling Tour in the morning to experience the Deutschland Tour atmosphere for themselves. The perfect gift for all racing bike fans: entries are now available at www.deutschland-tour.com.

Saarbrücken is a popular host of the biggest cycling races. But it has already been more than 20 years since the Tour de France, the Giro d'Italia and the Deutschland Tour stopped off in the state capital. On August 25, it's that time again: the Deutschland Tour meets Saarland's cycling enthusiasm. After the state hosted the Tour opener in St. Wendel and Merzig this year, the grand finale will bring the event full circle next summer.

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26^th October, 2023

Schwäbisch Gmünd will host the upcoming Deutschland Tour. Both the finish of stage 2 and the start of stage 3 will take place in the Baden-Württemberg town. With Germany's most important cycling race, the Ostalbkreis and Schwäbisch Gmünd will be hosting a double dose of great sport.

On 23 August, the east of Baden-Württemberg will be all about cycling. Stage 2 will take the world's best professionals through the Ostalb region to Schwäbisch Gmünd. On the way to the finish in the oldest town of the Staufer dynasty, the riders will encounter the undulating terrain typical of the Swabian Alb. In Schwäbisch Gmünd, at the foot of the Swabian Alb and the Three Emperors Mountains, cycling fans can look forward to another exciting final lap before the race for the day's victory.

Richard Arnold, Lord Mayor of Schwäbisch Gmünd, said: "The Deutschland Tour is coming to Schwäbisch Gmünd! We are delighted to welcome a top sporting event with worldwide appeal. With the Deutschland Tour, we are combining the great sporting enthusiasm of our city with a festival that will attract the world's best cyclists and many guests to Schwäbisch Gmünd in the summer".

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October, 18^th, 2023

The date of the Deutschland Tour 2024 has been set. The tour will be held from Wednesday, 21 August, to Sunday, 25 August, next year

Germany's most important cycling race remains true to its concept and will continue to be held as a five-day stage race in the UCI ProSeries, the competition below the WorldTour. This ensures that, in addition to the Tour de France stars, the best German talents can also take part in their home tour.

Villingen-Schwenningen is the first host city of the Deutschland Tour 2024 to be announced. The city in the southwest of Baden-Württemberg will be the destination of the 3rd stage. The early decision follows a positive trend: interest in the Deutschland Tour is growing. In addition to the 750,000 fans along the route, 6 million viewers watched the live broadcasts on ARD and ZDF four weeks ago - an increase of 20% over last year.

"Cycling is experiencing a momentum in Germany. More participants in the amateur races, more interest in the TV broadcasts and the enormous fan enthusiasm on site show the great potential. As the flagship of German cycling, the Deutschland Tour is helping to shape this trend. And so, the 2024 Tour will once again be an event full of highlights," says Matthias Pietsch, Managing Director of the Gesellschaft zur Förderung des Radsports.

September 21^st, 2023

The Deutschland Tour 2023 is barely history, and planning for the next edition is already in full swing. Villingen-Schwenningen is the first host of the 2024 Tour. The city in the southwest of Baden-Württemberg will be the finish destination of the 3rd stage. With the finale on Saturday afternoon, the twin city has secured a highlight with many visitors.

The confirmation of the UCI race calendar for the coming season is still pending, but cycling fans from the Black Forest should make a note of August 24, 2024. That Saturday, the Deutschland Tour will make a stop in Villingen-Schwenningen. Located in the heart of Baden-Württemberg, the region will once again become a cycling epicenter and welcome the world's best professionals to the finish of the 3rd stage. According to the dual city, the finish lap will incorporate both districts, Villingen and Schwenningen. The German top stars will travel to VS, the gateway to the Black Forest, with good memories, because this year's German Championships took place in the immediate vicinity with a large attendance.

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