Felix Schröder, dpa
The very biggest cycling superstars are missing – and German star Florian Lipowitz, who is still injured, will not be starting in the Deutschland Tour either. However, from 19 to 23 August, several international professional cyclists will be lining up at the start of Germany’s biggest stage race, which this year passes through Hesse, Baden-Württemberg and Rhineland-Palatinate.
Where does the tour take place?
The prologue and the four stages of the 40th D-Tour will all take place in the south-west of Germany. The event kicks off with a 2.6-kilometre prologue in Bad Orb, Hesse, in which the riders will compete in a time trial. This will be followed by a slightly undulating first stage in classic style to Schwäbisch Hall.
The second stage runs from Schwäbisch Hall to Offenbach an der Queich, whilst the third stage takes the professional cyclists on a hilly route from Herxheim to Bad Dürkheim. On Sunday, the tour concludes with a 156-kilometre stage starting and finishing in Heilbronn.
Why are the big-name stars missing?
Probably the best-known international rider is the Mexican Isaac del Toro, who finished third in this year’s Tour de France. His German team-mate Nils Politt is also taking part. Both ride for the team led by superstar Tadej Pogacar.
Unlike the major stage races such as the Tour de France or the Vuelta, which begins on 22 August, the Deutschland Tour is not part of the World Tour. Consequently, its appeal to big names such as Olympic champion Remco Evenepoel is limited. Pogacar is out of the picture anyway, as the world champion is set to compete in the Vuelta a España from Saturday, aiming to fill one of the few gaps in his list of victories. Jonas Vingegaard has already ended his season following his crash in the Tour de France.
Which German professionals are taking part?
Unlike last year, German star Florian Lipowitz is also missing from the line-up. The Swabian, who sensationally finished third overall in the Tour de France in 2025, has not yet returned to racing following his serious crash, which left him with a broken collarbone.
Veteran rider and former Paris–Roubaix winner John Degenkolb will be taking part. However, he does not intend to retire immediately after the D-Tour. “The focus is on the spring classics; then we’ll see what happens next,” the 37-year-old recently told the *Rheinpfalz*.
The start list also includes Maximilian Schachmann, a two-time overall winner of Paris–Nice, and the German sprinter Phil Bauhaus. A German team – featuring Georg Zimmermann and Jonas Rutsch, amongst others – is also entered.
How did the D-Tour end last year?
In 2025, the Norwegian Søren Wærenskjold won. It has been five years since a German rider last won the overall title. In 2021, Politt from Cologne triumphed. He also secured Germany’s last stage victory at that time.
Where will the Tour be broadcast?
The prologue will be broadcast live on Hessischer Rundfunk and on sportschau.de. The first and third stages will be shown on ARD, and the second and fourth on ZDF. Eurosport will also be broadcasting the Tour.
How much does the winner get?
The overall winner receives prize money of 8,135 euros. By way of comparison, the Tour de France champion takes home 500,000 euros.
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