The gravel scene in Germany is turning its attention to Saxony at the end of August: from 29 to 31 August 2025, the 3rd German Gravel 2025 Championship powered by ROSE will be held as part of the Sparkassen-HeideGravel. The venue, Taura near Torgau in the Dahlen Heath, offers ideal conditions for exciting competitions with its challenging route. The championship route for the women covers 120 kilometres with around 1,200 metres of elevation gain, while the men have to cover 150 kilometres with around 1,500 metres of elevation gain. The race takes place on a circuit of around 30 kilometres, which has to be completed four or five times depending on the category. The route is characterised by a mixture of gravel passages, demanding climbs and fast forest sections, which is a real challenge for both professionals and ambitious amateur riders. The terrain already proved its worth in 2024 at the 1st North German Gravel Championships and now serves as the stage for the national title fights.
DM Gravel: High-calibre field of participants
The entry list for the 2025 German Gravel Championship reads impressively. The reigning German Gravel Champion Paul Voß will be competing in the men's race to defend his title. His strongest rivals include Cape Epic winners Georg Egger and Lukas Baum. In the women's field, the 2024 Unbound winner Rosa Maria Klöser is the top favourite. With the time trial world champion Mieke Kröger and Olympic medallist Lisa Klein other top international riders will be at the start. The ROSE Racing Circle team is particularly well represented with a total of twelve athletes. The mix of road pros, mountain bike specialists and gravel experts promises exciting races with tactical finesse and technical challenges on the varied course in the Dahlener Heide.
Supporting programme German Gravel Championship
In addition to the championship races, the Sparkassen-HeideGravel also offers attractive competitions for amateur gravel bikers. The day before the championships, there will be races for everyone over three different distances: 30 kilometres, 60 kilometres and 100 kilometres. These races have already attracted almost 700 registrations from all over Germany as well as from Austria, Poland and the Netherlands. The participants come from all regions of Germany - from Flensburg to Munich and from Aachen to Görlitz. The extensive supporting programme ensures a real community experience: a joint route check is offered on Friday afternoon, and there are also yoga sessions, a pasta party, campfire evenings and a film evening. For participants who would like to stay overnight on site, there are limited camping sites available, which emphasises the community character of the event.
German Gravel Championship: the course
With its changing surfaces and profiles, the Sparkassen-HeideGravel course places special demands on equipment and riding technique. The 30-kilometre circuit combines fast gravel passages with technically demanding forest sections and short, crisp climbs. In the championship races, the women have to complete this lap four times, resulting in 120 kilometres and 1200 metres of altitude, while the men have to complete five laps with a total of 150 kilometres and 1500 metres of altitude. The recurring passages allow spectators to cheer on the riders several times at different points. At the same time, the multiple stages pose a mental challenge for the participants, as they have to optimise their strength. With its mixture of open landscapes and dense forest areas, the route in the Dahlener Heide not only offers sporting challenges, but also scenic attractions.
Kristian Bauer
Editor
