Rund um Köln 2026 - Erfahrungsbericht zum Jedermannrennen: Der Elefant im Porzellanladen
Thomas Huber
· 19.05.2026
I'm on the climb up the wall of sand: my thighs are cramping and I stop. I still have around 30 kilometres to go. I get off my bike, stretch briefly and a spectator shouts: "That doesn't look good. You might as well get a lift from the broom wagon." The energy-sapping riding style on my gravel bike, which barely made any speed on the descents and worked harder on the climbs than the slim racing bikes around me, was taking its toll. Nevertheless, it wasn't going to stop me, even though I felt like a bull in a china shop.
The snap idea becomes serious
First things first: A year before the race, a friend surprised me with the question of whether I would like to start with him at Rund um Köln 2026. I spontaneously said yes and had the motto: if I was going to do it, then do it properly. So we signed up for the 120-kilometre race for everyone. The longest race on offer for everyone. Up until then, I'd only been on bikepacking holidays and Sunday rides, with no race in sight.
At the beginning of 2026, the idea came up again: my friend had bought a brand new road bike, I only had a comfortable gravel bike. In short, I would have to work harder. Preparation? More like commuting to work and a few rides. So my training plan was hope and occasional pedalling. The conclusion in one word: naive. But who needs perfect preparation when you love the unknown?
Cologne in cycling fever
Without any consistent preparation, this was exactly the ride into the unknown that awaited me at Rund um Köln 2026 on 17 May. When I left my house in the centre of Cologne in the morning, numerous racing bikes immediately rolled past my nose. So I didn't need Google Maps, I just let the flow of bikes take me to the Rheinauhafen harbour. Cologne seemed to be in cycling fever that day.
I then collected my race number and put my clothes for post-race activities in the locker that was kindly provided for me. Then it was off to the start.
A dream start
The starting signal for the "Velodom 120" sounded at 9.50am. I was excited about the unknown, but at the same time very keen to master the challenge that had started as a snap idea. I quickly found myself in a large group and seemed to be flying. The first 20 kilometres in the slipstream of a large group were comparatively easy. With an average speed of 34 km/h on mostly flat terrain, I exceeded my expectations many times over. But here, too, I had to keep pedalling hard to stay in the group. The first grains were used up.
No more fun: numerous climbs to Wipperfeld
Compared to the start, the next 50 kilometres turned out to be much more of a battle against wear and tear. Once in the Bergisches Land, there were hardly any flat sections, it was a constant up and down.
At the start of the section, I was still having fun on the climbs. I was able to overtake a few riders at first and had no problems mastering the crisp but not too long climbs and pushing my pace. This would pay off later on.
On the descents, however, I had clear disadvantages compared to my fellow riders: the upright position of the gravel bike and the wide tyres didn't allow me to reach high speeds, so despite pedalling hard, I lost ground compared to the racing cyclists. On my gravel bike, I was the elephant in the china shop among the graceful racing bikes.
Shortly before the highest point of the race near the village of Wipperfeld, my energy-intensive riding style made itself felt: After less than 70 kilometres, my thighs started to give me problems. When I got out of the saddle just before the crest, my thigh cramped briefly. So I sat down again and rode on slowly. From now on, there were only two serious climbs anyway: the wall of Sand and the climb to Bensberg Castle. I thought to myself: From now on, I almost just have to roll to the finish. That will be fine.
The battle with cramp
10 kilometres after the hilltop in Wipperfeld, the time had come. I had to get off my bike and stretch. The cramp was becoming more and more of a problem. And there were still 40 kilometres to go. After a short stretching session, I carried on for a while. However, I realised that my muscles were always on the verge of cramping when I pedalled hard.
The final climbs at Rund um Köln 2026
On the wall of sand, more severe cramps set in, which plagued me for a few minutes and I couldn't seem to get them under control. Once the problem was halfway under control again, I was able to continue the race. The only catch was that the broom wagon was now hot on my heels due to the hilly terrain and the cramps, picking up the riders at an average speed of less than 25 km/h. I just managed to catch up with the other riders. I just about managed to save myself for the next descent - with eager anticipation of how my legs would react to the final climb to Bensberg Castle.
And cramps set in there too. So I walked up the final climb quickly and then knew: from now on, I only have to let myself roll downhill for 25 kilometres to the finish. There were no more climbs. Thanks to the numerous spectators and volunteers, who kept cheering us on and made us forget the effort for a moment, I dragged myself towards the finish line. I continued to struggle with my cramping thighs in the final kilometres. But in the end I made it: with an average speed of exactly 25.1 km/h, I crossed the finish line with the broom wagon, so to speak.
It was a wild ride: from the dream start to the final 40 kilometres, during which my thighs tried to go on strike with every metre of elevation gain. In the end, willpower won out. And a special mention goes to the organisers: one more climb in the race and I probably wouldn't have made it to the finish. A perfect design in which I reached my exact limit.
After the race is before the race
But the day wasn't over for me yet. Another highlight awaited me as a professional cycling enthusiast: the finish of the professional race. It could hardly have been more surprising and exciting. The three breakaway riders Laurance Pithie (Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe), Fred Wight and Aimee De Gent (both Pinarello Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team) saved their lead from the peloton including the sprinters. In the end, it was a home win for the German World Tour team Red Bull in the person of Pithie.
All in all, I had a lot of experiences that day: a rollercoaster of emotions during the race and the finish of the professional race in my home town. And who knows, maybe next year I'll try plan B: proper preparation and a bit more thigh training so that I cross the finish line with a relaxed smile instead of my thighs at the limit.
