Yesterday the Deutschland Tour started, the most important German stage race in road racing. A total of 120 professional cyclists with 20 teams will be battling it out from St. Wedel to Bremen for stage and overall victory. The Tour de Berlin - International Youngsters Race also enters its second round tomorrow. A total of almost 250 young athletes will compete against each other.
Jens Voigt on the state of German cycling
Jens Voigt, who won the Tour of Germany in 2006 and 2007, said in the rbb24 interview: "The Deutschland Tour is undoubtedly the flagship of German cycling. It is the big and unfortunately also the only stage on which all German local teams that are invited are allowed to show themselves". When asked about the current state of cycling in Germany, he replied: "At the moment, things are looking good for German cycling. We have very, very solid riders." According to Voigt, there is a lack of professionals who regularly win stages on the big stage of the Tour de France. "But we have a lot of very good riders, and there are also a lot of juniors and U23 riders coming up. We don't have to worry about the future of German cycling."
Only 7 German riders took part in the Tour de France this year, the last time there were so few was 20 years ago. And between 2006 and 2021, the number of racing licenses in the U19 category fell from 1,054 to 369. [sportschau.de]
Claudiu Ciurea looks positively into the future
In Berlin, meanwhile, the mood is positive. A few years ago, the situation was "more than dramatic", according to Claudiu Ciurea, President of the Berlin Cycling Association in the rbb24 interview. "There were questions as to whether the association could still exist or not. But we have managed to put a team behind the association and bring cycling back to the fore. We are growing in all areas and disciplines. Our squad athlete numbers are constantly growing and we have more and more young athletes who are moving towards competitive sport."
Above all, the dedicated volunteers who have "worked incredibly hard" are responsible for the upward trend of cycling in Berlin. However, this commitment cannot be expected "indefinitely". "We have built up structures that will have to be supported full-time in the future." According to Ciurea, "the less than optimal support from politicians and the state sports association" is negative: "We do have the impression that cycling and cycling have a high status in our society - and are also very important for politicians. However, too little is happening to promote cycling even further."
Detlef Uibel comes to a similar conclusion
"Volunteering has fallen sharply. That's a huge problem," says Detlef Uibel, who is a Federal base manager for cycling in Brandenburg in the rbb24 interview: "The nationwide trend is not only noticeable in cycling, but also here in Brandenburg. That's why it's important that we try to revive the sport with full-time coaching positions and tackle it structurally by scouting young talent." "We are currently in the process of revitalizing white spots in Brandenburg, for example in the north and west, where cycling has completely fallen asleep in recent years - especially due to corona - especially in children's and youth sports." What is particularly positive is "that we have more competitions again and that the small clubs are also making an effort to organize events in their regions."
The Tour de Berlin - International Youngsters Race could be just the beginning
From Friday, August 25 to Sunday, August 27, the three-day stage race Tour de Berlin - International Youngsters Race will take place. With the Tempelhofer Feld and the race around the Olympic Stadium, two special Berlin locations are once again taking part this year. With almost 250 starters in 60 teams in the U13 and U15 age groups, 300 percent more young athletes are taking part this year than last year. "Berlin is also being recognized internationally again as a location. Almost 25 percent of the starters come from abroad. These international encounters are also very valuable for children," says Claudiu Ciurea in the rbb24 interview. "Such events serve to present the sport to parents and children. The children should get the chance to try it out and get a feel for the sport. Maybe we can inspire one or two of them to join a club this way."
Jens Voigt in the rbb24 interview: "It's important that the little ones get a big stage and don't just ride in some industrial estate to the exclusion of the public." He concludes: "Life swings up and down. Do you remember how big tennis was with Becker and Graf? There are enough riders in cycling. But it always depends on a club, a single person who carries everything along. It takes one or two people with passion - and then there could be a wrestling stronghold, a boxing stronghold or a cycling stronghold in any place in Germany."
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