Around Cologne 2024: Everything you need to know about the Rhineland classic

Around Cologne 2024 - the most important facts in brief

• Date of the event: 26 May 2024
• Distance: 194.8 kilometres
• Approx. 2440 metres in altitude
• Start & FinishHarry-Blum-Platz in Cologne (Rheinauhafen), 10:40 to approx. 15:45
• Profile: hilly
• Highest point: Agathaberg, Wipperfürth
• 2x cobblestone ascent to Bensberg Castle
• UCI category: UCI Europe Tour
• Premiere: 1908, 106th edition

Rund um Köln will be held for the 106th time in 2024 - it was first organised in 1908. This year, Germany's oldest cycle race will once again lead through the hilly terrain of the Bergisches Land region. It has numerous crisp climbs, with riders having to overcome a total of around 2440 metres in altitude over approximately 195 kilometres. The highest point of Rund um Köln 2024 is the Agathaberg near Wipperfürth at 367 metres.

Last year, Danny van Poppel from the German team Bora-Hansgrohe won the classic in the final sprint. The last German winner was Cologne-born Nils Politt, who won the race in 2022. Rund um Köln is part of the UCI Europe Tour, the second highest category of cycling race.

Rund um Köln 2024: The route of the elite race

Compared to last year, the route for Rund um Köln 2024 has only changed slightly. As the Agathaberg has often been used for attacks in the peloton in recent years, it will now only be crossed at kilometre 80 and not at kilometre 50 for the sake of suspense. Overall, the race has also been shortened by around five kilometres compared to last year. The race's characteristic cobblestone climb to Bensberg Castle will remain on the programme twice, just like last year.

Slight changes to the route of the elite race

>> How Rund um Köln 2023 went

Rick Zabel says goodbye

Although Rund um Köln is only part of the UCI Europe Tour and therefore the second-highest class of cycling race, numerous top riders will be competing in the classic. In addition to the top German team Bora-Hansgrohe, Visma | Lease a Bike, the team of Tour de France winner Jonas Vingegaard, will also be taking part. Five other World Tour teams will also be taking part in Rund um Köln 2024. There will also be a German national team at the start, with not only Paris-Roubaix U23 winner Tim Torn Teutenberg but also Rick Zabel. For the sprinter, who lives in Cologne, it is the last race of his career. After Rund um Köln, the 30-year-old will hang up his bike.

Around Cologne 2024: TV broadcast & live stream

The elite race of Rund um Köln 2024 will be broadcast live on the sportschau.de website, with commentary by Florian Kurz and Marcel Wüst. There will also be live coverage on the Rund um Köln YouTube channel. Both live streams are available free of charge from the start at 10.45 am until the finish at around 3.30 pm.

Around Cologne 2024: "Velodom" - an overview of the amateur races

In addition to the elite race, Rund um Köln also has competitions for everyone. These will also take place on Sunday 26 May. Hobby riders can choose between three different routes. All routes will be held on the routes of the elite race, with each rider having to conquer the climb up to Bensberg Castle.

These are the everyman races:

• "Velodome 30": 25.9 kilometres; start: Hüttenstraße, Bergisch Gladbach, finish: Harry-Blum-Platz in Cologne; start time: 12:30 p.m.
• "Velodome 70": 69.4 kilometres; start & finish: Harry-Blum-Platz in Cologne; start time: 11:11 a.m.
• "Velodome 130": 129.1 kilometres; start & finish: Harry-Blum-Platz in Cologne; start time: 9:30 am

In addition to the elite and amateur races, there will also be junior races for the U11, U13, U15 and U17 classes on Saturday morning. In the afternoon, there will be licence races for men and women. At the same time, there will be the "Bike.Expo" bike fair at the Rheinauhafen harbour. The city of Cologne will be firmly in the hands of cycling on the weekend of 25 and 26 May.

Around Cologne 2024: The schedule at a glance

Sunday, 26 May 2024:

• 9.30 am: Start of "Velodom 130" at Harry-Blum-Platz
• 10:45 am: Neutral start of the elite race at Harry-Blum-Platz
• 11:11 am: Start of "Velodom 70" at Harry-Blum-Platz
• 12:30 pm: Start "Velodom 30", Hüttenstraße, Bergisch Gladbach
• Approx. 12:30 pm: Finish "Velodom 130" at Harry-Blum-Platz
• Approx. 12:50 pm: "Velodom 70" finish at Harry-Blum-Platz
• Approx. 13:05: Finish "Velodom 30" at Harry-Blum-Platz
• Approx. 15:30: Finish of the elite race at Harry-Blum-Platz