Lidl Deutschland Tour ready for another cycling festival
July 15th, 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.
Kick-off in a former coal mine: Lidl Deutschland Tour 2025 begins in Essen
July 8th, 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.