Around Cologne 2026: The most important facts in brief
- Date: 17 May 2026 from 11:30 am, expected arrival at the finish approx. 3:55 pm
- Distance: 191 km
- Altitude metres: 2060
- Start: Rheinau harbour
- Target: Rheinau harbour
- UCI category: UCI Europe Tour
- Premiere: 1908, 108th edition
- Last year's winner: Matthew Brennan (Team Visma | Lease a Bike)
Rund um Köln enters its 108th round. Since it was first held in 1908, no rider has won the race more than twice. Traditionally, the route of the oldest German road bike race leads over the undulating profile of the Bergisches Land, past Cologne/Bonn Airport to Wipperfürth via the Agathaberg and finally the cobblestones at Bensberg Castle. Some sections will be ridden several times. Last year, local hero Nils Politt was unable to reward himself with another success after his victory in 2022. Instead, the favourite 19-year-old Brit Matthew Brennan from Team Visma | Lease a Bike won. Henri Uhlig narrowly missed out on the podium as the best German rider.
The route of the elite race
The riders will cover a total of 2060 metres in altitude on the 191-kilometre route. This means that the race is 10 kilometres longer and includes 210 metres more elevation gain than last year. There are a total of six mountain classifications: The first awaits after 37 kilometres on the Ferrenberg in Overath, which, with an average gradient of 8.5 per cent over 1.2 kilometres, provides just a foretaste of the second climb on the Agathaberg. With an average gradient of 8.4 per cent over a distance of 0.9 kilometres, this may seem a little more harmless, but with peaks of 15 per cent, it gets even experienced pros out of the saddle - literally. This is because some riders have to get off their bikes and push. For spectators, it is all the nicer that - as in the previous year - it is ridden twice.
After this first circuit, the route heads back towards Cologne, with the second circuit featuring two climbs at Sander Berg and Bensberg Castle as the next highlights. The legendary cobblestone ascent to the castle is climbed three times before the route leads through Königsforst and Kalk back to Cologne city centre. There it could once again come down to a sprint finale at the Rheinauhafen harbour.
Around Cologne 2026: TV broadcast & livestream
The 108th edition will also be broadcast in the free live stream of Sportschau from 11:25 am. Commentary will be provided by Florian Kurz with expert Marcel Wüst. The elite race will be broadcast on the Rund um Köln YouTube channel from 12:00 noon.
Lukas Niebuhr
Working student
