3RIDES course test

CLASS REUNION ON GRAVEL AND ON THE ROAD

It was something of a cycling class reunion, the two-day big course test for 3RIDES, a reunion of old friends and acquaintances, plus riders from the 3RIDES team who had competed in the UCI Gravel World Series race in Turnhout the day before.

Marcel Meisen, ten-time German cross champion and 2020 German road champion, will be there as a local hero and will meet "old star" Mike Kluge, three-time world cross champion in 1985, 1987 and 1992 ("I'm a little envious of these three titles ...") - on the second day, Tour stage winner Simon Geschke, who lived in the border triangle for many years, will join him.

Jens Heppner, who also won a stage in the Tour de France and wore the pink jersey for ten days in the 2002 Giro d'Italia, which also led over the roads of 3RIDES on its second stage between Cologne and Ans, comes straight to the start on his bike from Kelmis.

The group is completed by journalist and influencer Puck Moonen, who wants to tell her almost 900,000 fans on Instagram about 3RIDES, and Gran Fondo European Champion and Ötztaler winner Stefan Kirchmair.

COURSE TEST OF THE GRAN FONDO TRACK

And of course, the two days are all about taking photos and producing content to showcase the new routes - but at least as important to the 3RIDES team is the experts' unvarnished impression of the route, which was extremely positive: "The route is very, very varied," Simon Geschke attests to the Gran Fondo route. "You have very, very beautiful views, for example of the Rursee, and the climbs are very easy to ride."

For Jens Heppner, the route is a racing bike paradise right on his doorstep: "You don't have to drive or fly that far, the route is scenically beautiful - but also difficult."

Manuela Freund from the 3RIDES team recognized some parts of the route from last year and is looking forward to the new sections: "The scenery is gigantic - but it will definitely be sporty here, you have to be able to pedal in the Eifel." Mountain specialist Kirchmair was also surprised by the vertical meters: "There are some new climbs. It will definitely be more selective than last year."

IMPRESSIONS FROM THE ROUTE OF THE 3RIDES GRAN FONDO

COURSE TEST OF THE GRAVEL TRACK

The lap for the 3RIDES Gravel Race brought even more surprises: "The course is completely different than before, it's beautiful," says Puck Moonen. "Much more nature, much more views."

"On this route, you realize why you like off-road riding," says Marcel Meisen, whose favourite section of the route is directly after the start in the Aachen Forest. "It's like a rollercoaster ride."

Mike Kluge can't wait for the start of the race: "It was a lot of fun, a lot of variety, high-speed corners, different surfaces, counter-slopes that you can ride with momentum, super entertaining, I'm really looking forward to the 3RIDES weekend."

IMPRESSIONS FROM THE TRACK OF THE 3RIDES GRAVEL RACE