Velodom 60

This classic is considered the highlight of the cycling calendar: start and finish in the metropolis of Cologne, overland rides through the Bergisches Land, long straights, short climbs and the legendary cobblestone passage to Bensberg Castle – and then the emotional finish in the Rheinauhafen!

Course

hilly

Distance

65.8 k

Elevation gain

490 metres

Start

Rheinauhafen

Finish

Rheinauhafen

Entry fees

Startplatz 1 – 500

Ausgebucht

Startplatz 501 – 1,000

Ausgebucht

Startplatz 1,001 – 3,700

Ausgebucht

Regulations – Information on the race

Competition rules

These regulations apply to all races. They are based on the competition rules of German Cycling.

By registering, you accept the regulations of the event.

As a participant, you are obliged to familiarize yourself with the content of the conditions of participation and the regulations and to comply with them.

You ride at your own expense and risk.

Conditions of participation

All Velodoms are open to all amateur and recreational cyclists aged 14 and over. The cut-off date for this is their age on the respective event day. Participants under the age of 18 require a declaration of consent from their legal guardians in order to participate.

Riders who are members of a sports group registered with the UCI (Union Cycliste Internationale) are not eligible to participate.

Licensees of German Cycling are eligible to participate, subject to the above restriction.

The organizer will decide on a case-by-case basis whether athletes from other sports associations with comparable athletic qualifications may participate.

Club membership is not required.

By registering, you agree that you have checked your health status yourself, if necessary by consulting a doctor. You confirm that you are in sufficient health and sufficiently trained to participate.

Health

Before participating in Rund um Köln, we recommend that you undergo an appropriate sports medical examination in advance.

Helmet requirement

Helmets are mandatory. Helmets must bear the seal of a recognized/official testing institute. Riding without a helmet will result in disqualification.

Clothing

There are no specific regulations regarding clothing, but it must not pose a safety risk. Riding with a bare chest is not permitted.

Bib numbers

The bib number consists of three parts:

Back number: Please attach this to the bottom of the back of your jersey using four safety pins (provided). This bib number shows the number of the start block from which you will start.
Helmet number: This must be clearly visible and attached to the front of your helmet.
Seat post number: This has a built-in transponder for timekeeping and is attached to the seat post!

Starting from the wrong starting block (checked via timekeeping) and/or obscuring, bending, or similar damage to the sponsor strip on the start number will result in disqualification.

Rankings

In accordance with our regulations, the first 50 male and 15 female participants in each Velodom (60 & 120) will be ranked according to their gross finish time, while all others will be ranked according to their net finish time.

Team classification

There are two classification categories: women\’s and men\’s teams. The 3 fastest female riders and 4 fastest male riders in a team are automatically classified according to their net time at Velodom 60 and 120.

Please ensure that your team name is spelled correctly, otherwise it will not be possible to assign it to your team correctly.

Award ceremonies

The top three riders in the overall standings and the top three teams of the Velodom 60 and Velodom 120 will be honored on the award ceremony stage according to net times.

In the various age groups, only the winner of each class will be honored afterwards.

You are responsible for finding out your race results and, if you have placed, for arriving at the award ceremony on time without being asked.

The location and time of the award ceremonies can be found in the confirmation of participation or on the notices posted in the event area. If a participant who is to be honored does not appear or is late for the award ceremony, they are not entitled to the prizes.

11:30 a.m. Velodom 60 award ceremonies: top 1-3 individual female/male
11:50 a.m. Velodom 60 award ceremonies: top 1-3 teams female/male
1:30 p.m. Velodom 120 award ceremonies: top 1-3 individual female/male
1:50 p.m. Velodom 120 award ceremonies: top 1-3 teams fmale/male
2:30 p.m. Cologne student cup Velodom 60 and Velodom 120 award ceremonies: top 1-3 individuals female/male
3:50 p.m. elite award ceremonies: top 1-3, mountain and sprint classifications, most active and famous rider

Starting area

The starting area for the Velodom 60 and 120 is located on Bayenstraße, near Harry-Blum-Platz.

The starting area for the Velodom 30 is in Bergisch Gladbach on Hüttenstraße, near the Krüger Group factory.

Starting blocks – Starting block allocation

Starting blocks will be allocated based on the average speeds you have provided.

You will receive participant information about the exact race schedule in good time before the race.

It is not possible to change an assigned starting block!

Please start only from the starting blocks assigned to you.

Please follow the signs on site to the respective starting blocks. Please note that access to blocks 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 after 9:00 a.m. is restricted due to the starts of the previous blocks!

You are required to be in your starting block at least 15 minutes before the start of the race. Please use the marked entrances.

Participants who arrive at the starting block first must line up at the front of the starting block so that subsequent participants can move up and the entrance area of the starting block remains clear.

It is not permitted to climb over barriers to enter the starting block and/or to push in.

Unauthorized movement to a front starting block will result in the disqualification of the participants concerned.

The individual starting blocks will be sent onto the course separately from each other with a countdown.

Women\’s starting block

Applies to the Velodom 60 and 120.

The women\’s starting block is optional and will be set up in the rear third of the starting grid. Of course, you can also continue to start from the assigned starting blocks.

Please bring your own food and drinks so that you can ride your race to the best of your ability.

In addition, there will be one refreshment station at Velodom 60 and two refreshment stations at Velodom 120.

Here you can refill your water bottles and isotonic drinks and energy gels will be provided by our partner Dextro-Energy.

Please indicate your approach to the refreshment stations in good time to allow other riders to continue safely.

Anyone who throws trash away outside the littering zones will be disqualified!

Immediately after the medal, you can drop off your bike, enjoy some food and drink in the refreshment area, watch the elite riders cross the finish line, and then collect your bike again.

The parking area is open on Sunday from 10.30 am to 5.00 pm and costs €5.00. This limited offer (450 spaces) can only be booked in advance via the online registration or via the change link.

You can book shipping until April 13, 2026. The starter pack will be shipped at the beginning of May 2026.

We will send your complete race documents to your home in good time before the event – one package, everything included:

Your race numbers including transponders for timekeeping
Your race bag and contents
Your Rund um Köln jersey/bib shorts, if ordered

This service costs €25.00 for shipping within Germany or €30.00 for shipping to Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands, or Luxembourg.

It is best to have your package delivered to an address (such as an office) where it can be accepted. If the package cannot be delivered and is returned to us, no second delivery attempt will be made due to time constraints. The package will then be available for collection at the Bike.EXPO. The shipping fee will not be refunded. Costs incurred by returns are to be borne by the participants.

If you do not participate in the race but have booked the jersey or bib shorts, we will send them to you. If you did not book jersey or shorts, you will not receive a package. Shipping costs will not be refunded.

An upgrade from Velodom 30 to Velodom 60 or Velodom 60 to Velodom 120 is generally possible until April 13, 2026, for a processing fee of €25.00, as long as the participant limit has not yet been reached.

Those who have not booked shipping of race pack can use this service until April 27, 2026.

The upgrade can be carried out independently via the change link received with the registration confirmation. In addition to the processing fee, the difference to starting fee of the new distance must also be paid.

The material requirements for the Velodoms are based on the material requirements of German Cycling and the UCI.

You are responsible for the road safety of your bicycles. In particular, you must ensure that the brakes and other safety-related components are in good working order.

Participants whose bicycles clearly do not meet the requirements for participation in the event may be removed from the competition at any time.

There are no restrictions on gear ratios.

The following materials and bicycle types are not permitted:

Disc wheels/3-, 4-, 5-spokes front and/or rear
Triathlon, time trial, bullhorn, or delta handlebars
Handlebar extensions of any kind (except MTB bar ends)
Bicycle trailers, panniers, and other loads
Bottles made of glass or other breakable materials and aluminum bottles
Unicycles, recumbent bicycles, and multi-track vehicles
Trailers of any kind
Hand bikes
Tandems
E-bikes

Age group classifications

The age group classifications distinguish between participants (female and male) and age groups. This results in the following age group classifications:

Youth female/male: 2010 and younger
Juniors female/male: 2008/2009
Women/Men: 1997–2007
Master 1 female/male: 1987–1996
Master 2 female/male: 1977–1986
Master 3 female/male: 1967–1976
Master 4 female/male: 1966 and older

Chronometry

Chronometry for all competitions is carried out using a race result transponder, which is integrated into the seat post race number.

Important: Please follow the timekeeper’s instructions regarding the attachment of the transponder.

Average speed

For the Velodom 120 and the Velodom 60, the minimum average speed is 25 kilometres per hour – including refreshment breaks. This speed applies throughout the entire race and will be monitored at various points.

The race organisers and the accompanying police unit are responsible for monitoring the average minimum speed. Should traffic conditions so require, the race organisers reserve the right, in consultation with the police, to remove from the race any participants who are travelling slower than the required average minimum speed.

If a participant is unable to reach or maintain the required minimum average speed due to mechanical failure, physical discomfort or other reasons, they must withdraw from the race and, in accordance with the Highway Code (StVO), ride to the finish line at their own risk or board the broom wagon.
Translation

Broom wagon

At certain points along the race route, we will close the route to participants who are running behind schedule based on the planned average minimum speed.

If a participant is unable to achieve or maintain the required average minimum speed due to defects, physical discomfort, or other reasons, he/she must end the race and, taking into account the German road traffic regulations (StVO), ride to the finish at his/her own risk or board the broom wagon, which will take you to the finish area.

Participants who are taken out of the race are considered DNF (did not finish) and will not appear in any results list.

As a general rule, the right-hand side of the track must be used throughout the entire event. The rule of keeping to the right applies.

You must behave in such a way that you do not endanger or harm other road users or participants in the event. No participant may prevent another participant from passing or reaching full speed. Pushing, blocking, shoving, or pulling away for personal or mutual advantage, as well as other obstructions, such as suddenly leaving the line or stopping during or at the end of the race without compelling necessity, are prohibited and will be punished in accordance with the list of penalties.

Participants are prohibited from using the slipstream of motorized vehicles, holding on to them, or drafting them. This also applies after crashes or defects.

Vehicles deployed by us to secure the race track must be allowed to pass the field.

Emergency vehicles with blue lights from the police, fire department, and medical services always have priority and must be allowed to pass immediately by all participants.

ATTENTION: Special-purpose vehicles (e.g., emergency services) may enter the race track at any time and, under certain circumstances, may also drive in the opposite direction to the race.

We use motorcycles to secure the field of riders and to avert danger. These vehicles must also be allowed to pass.

Littering and throwing away empty drink bottles is prohibited.

We ask that you refrain from potentially dangerous driving maneuvers while crossing the finish line and keep both hands on the handlebars. The racing line must also be maintained at all times in the final.

After crossing the finish line, the race track and the run-off area must be left quickly. Please follow the signs and the instructions of the helpers on site.

It is strictly forbidden that other vehicles than ours will drive on the closed course.

Changing tools and spare parts among participants will be allowed. We highly recommend to take this equipment with you.

Only repair damages when resting on the right part of the street. Do not hinder other riders.

In case you will receive material from our support vehicles or you will change own material to those offered by staff of the support vehicles please return it directly after crossing the finish line at the booth next to the hand-out of the race packets!

Cologne student cup

If you study a lot, you need a clear head! And as we all know, exercise is the best way to achieve this. That\’s why we want to reward students at Cologne\’s universities who are keen on exercise. In cooperation with the Kölner Studierendenwerk, we are organizing the “Kölner Studi-Werk Cup” at Velodom 60 and Velodom 120.

If you are or will be enrolled at a Cologne university on the day of the competition (proof required!), you can register online until April 13, 2026, at a reduced rate (10% discount on the entry fee from the second entry fee quota), provided that the participant limit has not already been reached.

Please note: This rating does not apply to elite athletes.

Cool prizes also await the fastest aspiring Cologne academics:

1st place: €150 subsidy toward semester fees from us
2nd place: €75 subsidy toward cafeteria meals from Kölner Studierendenwerk
3rd place: performance diagnostic from UniSport

Note: If you are already registered, you can register for the Cologne student cup ranking at a later date. However, it is not possible to receive a refund for any difference in fees.

There are two options available to you this year: re-registration/starting slot sale on the starting slot exchange and entry fee insurance.

Re-registration/starting slot sale on the starting slot exchange

If you are unable to participate in the event, you now have the option of offering your starting slot on our official starting slot exchange.

Please note the following points:

Once you have offered your starting slot on our starting slot exchange, this step cannot be reversed.
A starting slot on the starting slot exchange is publicly visible to everyone. You cannot reserve it for one person. Do you already have a buyer? Then agree on at what time exactly you will release the starting slot.
Your entry fee will only be refunded once a buyer has been found for your starting slot. Any additional services booked will not be refunded. Pre-ordered jerseys and cycling shorts can be collected at the Bike.EXPO during the event. If you have booked shipping, pre-ordered jerseys and cycling shorts will be sent to you.
The following fees apply to the new buyer: current price category plus an additional re-registration fee of €25.00.
Deadline: Your starting slot can be purchased on the starting slot exchange until April 13, 2026. If your starting slot has not been purchased by another person by then, your participation will become active again.
Note: Once a starting slot has been purchased via the starting slot exchange, it cannot be offered again via the exchange for technical reasons.
Free starts or discounts granted cannot be passed on via the starting slot exchange.

The sales process – You sell a starting slot on the starting slot exchange

You can offer your starting slot on our starting slot exchange via the link in your email. It will then be publicly visible for purchase.
If your starting slot is purchased, you will receive an email confirmation and a link to the refund form.
Once you have completed the refund form, we will transfer the entry fee within 14 days.

The purchase process – You purchase a starting slot from the starting slot exchange

Select an available starting slot in the relevant competition on our official starting slot exchange by clicking on the link there.
Enter your details in the registration form and select a payment method.
Once you have successfully registered, you will receive a confirmation of registration from us.

Click here to go to the starting slot exchange.

With Generali\’s entry fee insurance (provided by Europ Assistance with the following insurance conditions), your entry fee will be covered not only in the event of serious illness, but also in the event of accident, unemployment, short-time working, pregnancy, or significant damage to property.

€13.92 incl. 19% insurance tax (1st quota)
€17.14 incl. 19% insurance tax (2nd quota)
€20.35 incl. 19% insurance tax (3rd quota)

Entry fee insurance can only be taken out in conjunction with registration for the event and does not apply in the event of cancellation of the event or an individual competition due to force majeure. It does not cover the service fee in the event of cancellation. (see also § 14).

If entry fee insurance is booked, participants will receive their personal insurance certificate in their email registration confirmation.

In the event of a claim, please send us an email with the relevant information. You will then receive a cancellation form from us, which you should submit via the online tool together with the following documents:

Copy of the email registration confirmation
Completed cancellation form
Proof of the claim (e.g., medical certificate, etc.)
Bank details (IBAN and BIC)

Paid extras, e.g., the Rund um Köln jersey, will be sent after the event upon receipt of a stamped envelope (C4 envelope, €2.90 stamp) sent to the following address:

Kölner AusdauerSport GmbH
Girlitzweg 30 – Tor 5A
50829 Cologne
GERMANY

or can be picked up at our Bike.EXPO. We wish you all the best.