Timo Glock and Timo Scheider have already gained motorsport experience at the Nürburgring on several occasions. As a Formula 1 driver, Glock achieved his best result on the Eifel racetrack as ninth in the 2009 German Grand Prix, while Scheider celebrated an overall victory in the 24-hour sports car classic on the Nordschleife back in 2003. This year, both are active in the DTM touring car championship and will compete against each other on the shortened Nürburgring Grand Prix circuit on 18 August. Three weeks later, they will meet again on the circuit beneath the Nürburg, breaking new ground as racing cyclists in the 24-hour Rad am Ring race.
Glock and Scheider have firmly integrated cycling into their tight training programme for a long time. "Since I met my current coach Martin Kiechle, a former professional cyclist, a few years ago, we've been on our bikes practically every day," says 34-year-old Timo Scheider, "this year I want to reach a total of 10,000 kilometres by bike." While Scheider is at home near Lindau, Glock lives 80 kilometres away near Constance on the other shore of Lake Constance - both places are not a bad starting point for challenging cycling tours. Glock is sometimes accompanied by former cycling greats such as Andreas Klöden, Marcus Burghardt and Jan Ullrich. "I'm not so much of a runner," says the 31-year-old, "I prefer to be on my bike. That's my main way of keeping fit."
Training trips to Mallorca, for example, are part of the annual programme for both riders. However, competitions have not been on the agenda so far, so Rad am Ring will be a first for them in this respect. DTM Audi driver Scheider will therefore take part in a triathlon in Vorarlberg at the end of August, "as preparation for Rad am Ring. It's 100 kilometres uphill from Bregenz to Lech." And over 2,000 metres in altitude. BMW rival Timo Glock, on the other hand, has no special training planned for the Nürburgring: "I'm riding my bike a lot at the moment anyway - maybe I could have tried a few kilometres at night. But I prefer to sleep at the moment."
Neither of the two Timos has ever explored the Nürburgring-Nordschleife by bike. "My father competed in Rad am Ring a few years ago, so I know roughly what lap times are required there," says Scheider, "and I suspect that it will also be a case of overcoming your inner bastard from time to time." Glock wants to be surprised: "I know that there are 500 metres of elevation gain per lap and that some of the climbs are uphill for quite a while. That can certainly be quite tough, especially at night."
In the dark, at least Timo Scheider knows the Nordschleife, albeit from the perspective of a sports car driver. "But that probably won't be a big advantage in terms of tactics and strategy on the bike. I'm more curious to see what the Nordschleife feels like on a bike at night." Timo Glock agrees: "It will certainly be a completely different experience on the bike than in the car. I know that Timo Scheider is also pretty fit on the bike. Let's wait and see. It could be fun if we meet up a few times on the track."
Glock should even know pretty well what level of performance Scheider has to offer. "Timo Glock is a good friend," says Scheider, "before the DTM races, we always end up cycling round the track together. That's why it will certainly be a nice competition between us at Rad am Ring. We're already spurring each other on with text messages: Who is currently training what, who has achieved which performance values?" Nevertheless, they both emphasise in unison that Rad am Ring is all about having fun. At the award ceremony on 8 September, there will be an explanation of what top-class PS tamers think about moving their well-trained and certainly not overweight bodies around the Nordschleife using muscle power.
